Holi celebrated with traditional gusto

New Delhi, Mar 4 (UNI) Holi was celebrated with enthusiasm across the country today as people poured colours on each other and exchanged greetings.

In the national capital, President A P J Abdul Kalam played Holi with over 100 children some of them disabled or orpahaned. The children also performed a Holi dance and sang songs from films. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, however did not play Holi Congress President Sonia Gandhi was wished Happy Holi by friends, relatives and office-bearers. Many AICC members paid her a visit at 10 Janpath.

The festival was celebrated with traditional fervour in Uttar Pradesh. People sprinkled colours on each other and exchanged pleasantries. Children were out on the streets, spraying colours on their friends and passers by. The celebrations wil continue till tomorrow in Allahabad, Gorakhpur and Kanpur.

People also took out a 'Holi procession' .

In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, people poured colours on each other and exchanged greetings.

In Mumabi, children smeared the faces of their friends with hues of colours. The community of fisherfolk called Koli celebrated the festival by making merry, dancing and singing.

With X and XII standard examinations on in Jharkhand, there were relatively few revellers on the streets.

'Pichkaris' appearing as replicas of cell phones, cars, guns, cameras, and Spiderman were used in Bihar during Holi celebrations but 'Lalu Pichkaris','Rabri Pichkaris' and 'Krrish Pichkaris' were the most sought after items for Holi revellers. A Kavi sammelan was organised on the ocassion at several places by various organisations.

Security arrangements were in place in sensitive areas in Madhya Pradesh due to recent communal incidents. Reports of celebrations poured in from Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Sagar, Rewa and other places.

There were reports of celebration from Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Asom and Puducherry.

UNI