KATHMANDU, March 26: Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, was celebrated hilariously in the country’s hilly region including the Kathmandu Valley, on Tuesday.
Revelers assembled in small groups in their neighborhoods and some descended on the road, smearing colored powders and throwing water-filled balloons at one another since early today. [break]
Security check was tightened on the road to avert any untoward incidents. No violent occurrences have been reported during this year´s Holi. However, police have detained 310 revelers, including two women, from various places of the Valley for offenses such as drink driving and hitting others against their will with water-filled balloons and smearing colored powders, DSP Chakra Bahadur Singh, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Range, Hanumandhoka, informed.
Celebrated by, more ore less, all communities, Holi begins on the eighth day of the new moon and ends with the burning of the "Chir´, which was installed earlier, on the full moon day. The government has announced a public holiday today in the hilly region to celebrate this joyous occasion. The festival is celebrated in the Tarai region on Wednesday.
The festival revolves around mythology of the demon king Hiranya Kashyapu ordering his sister Holi ka to sit on a fire with Pralhad, son of the demon king and a devout follower of Lord Bishnu, in her lap so that Pralhad would stop chanting the name of the Lord. The catch was that Holika wouldn´t burn in the fire because of a boon she had received from god. But it so happened that Holi ka was burned in fire while Pralhad remained unharmed and came out of the fire chanting the name of god.
From then onwards, the festival has been celebrated by smearing colour in delight. Elders believe that any premonitions can be avoided if "Tika" made from the ashes of the ´Chir´ is put on one´s forehead or kept in the house. Revelry in the form of pelting pedestrians with water-filled balloons from the upper windows of houses usually marks the festival.
An auspicious day!
Chief Secretary Lilamani Pokharel putting tike on Chief of Interim Election Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi on the day of Holi in Baluwatar. (Keshab Thoker/ Republica)
Stirring under sprinkling water
Water drizzling from an elevated rubber pipe over revelers who have assembled at Basantapur Durbar Square for Holi celebration.(Bhaswor Ojha/ Republica)
Dudes, let´s think of nothing today!
Youths soaked with colored water dance during Holi celebration at Basantapur Durbar Square.(Bhaswor Ojha/ Republica)
What does the equipment say?
A traffic police officer using breathalyzer on a scooter rider in Durbar Marg on the day of Holi. (Bhaswor Ojha/ Republica)
Definitely a tough time for cops!
Two wheeler riders going through traffic check in Durbar Marg. (Bhaswor Ojha/ Republica)
Spash, Splash!
Foreign tourists playing Holi with local people in Thamel. (Dipesh Shrestha/ Republica)
Hit me if you like !
Two small boys attempt to throw lola (water-flled balloon) to a passing foreign tourist. (Dipesh Shrestha/Republica)
Tying faith firmly
Hindu women worship the Chir, the holy bamboo, erected at Basantapur Durbar Square. (Bijay Gajmer/ Republica)
Exhausted, thinking something different!
Girls take a momentary break from Holi celebration in the capital. (Bijay Gajmer/ Republica)
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