Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Holi, the festival of colours that leads to spring, was celebrated in Delhi Sunday as people splashed colours on each other and distributed sweets and many danced to the beats of drums.

Authorities said no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the capital till afternoon. Police had urged people to celebrate the festival with “sensitivity towards others”.

“It is absolutely peaceful,” a Delhi Police spokesperson told IANS, adding that barricades had been set up at many places to check trouble.

Traffic policemen were deployed in large numbers on Delhi’s roads to keep an eye on drunken driving.

Streets in Delhi presented a festive and colourful look.

Yellow, red, green, purple - the vibrant colours jostled for prominence as people sprayed gulal and coloured water on each other and distributed sweets to celebrate.

Elders hugged and smeared ‘abir’ and ‘gulal’ on each other’s faces.

Children, armed with water guns or pitchkaris filled with coloured water, did what they do best — played pranks by spraying coloured water and hurled water-filled balloons on passers by from the safety of rooftops and balconies of their houses shouting “Holi hai!”.

Families played Holi in their front lawns or gardens, splashing buckets of water on each other to whoops of joy, and screams from the unsuspecting victims as the cold water caught them unawares.

Sweets, especially the traditional gujiyas, were the order of the day as people exchanged them and greeted each other.

In crowded urban pockets, the celebrations were more robust. Large bands of revellers, armed with coloured water - deep purple, black and silver - smeared anyone they came across with colour.

“I joined the celebrations in my colony. It was fun, we smeared gulal on each other,” said Akshay, a 14-year-old in a south Delhi colony,

The more adventurous downed bhang to add zest to their celebrations. Youngsters rode motorbikes, throwing colours in the air and shouting ‘Holi hai!’.