Thaindian News

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), March 22 (IANS) From courtyards of temples in Vrindavan, Mathura and Goverdhan, Holi revelries Saturday spilled over to the lanes and bylanes of the Braj Mandal - an area associated with Lord Krishna - with thousands of people splashing a riot of coloured powder, singing and dancing in groups. “It was a sedate start but as the day began and it got a little warmer groups of people were seen throwing colours and applying gulal to one another,” said Acharya Jaimini Trigunateet, a music scholar from Vrindavan.

“The Vrindavan temples had early darshan, the highlight being the colourful Holi at Bihariji temple. Thousands of pilgrims from distant places had come to witness the Holi of Braj,” he said.

In Mathura right from the Vishram Ghat via the Dwarkadheesh temple to the Holi Gate, revellers were seen dancing and singing with pilgrims joining in.

On Friday evening, Balram and Bishan Panda re-enacted the legend of Prahlad and his aunt Holika in village Falaun’s Prahlad temple.

In Agra, Holi celebrations are now shifting to clubs and banquet halls.

“Earlier groups of people with dholaks and manjiras moved around the colonies and lanes of the city throwing colours at one another. Now it seems to be taking an urban colour as people eat, drink, dance and listen to professional singers, exchanging greetings and smearing gulal. No more street fights and creating scenes,” said Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) national general secretary Jitendra Raghuvanshi.