Thaindian News

Kolkata, March 19 (IANS) The festival of colours Holi or Dol Yatra, as it is called in the state, was celebrated with traditional fervour with songs and dances in West Bengal Saturday.

On this festival of fun and frolic, people throw colours at one another. As the day progresses, youngsters move around in groups, hurling water balloons and smearing one another with ‘abir’.

Students from different universities and institutions danced and sang Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s songs and smeared each other with colours.

“Security has been beefed up in the city. Additional 4,000 police personnel have been deployed across the city for the safety and security of residents. Besides, disaster management teams have been posted at all ghats on Bhagirathi-Hooghly river,” said Kolkata Police Joint Commissioner (headquarters) Jawed Shamim.

“We have also posted personnel on high-rise building and at check points, and motorcycle patrol is being conducted throughout the city,” he said.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) at its global headquarters at Mayapur in Nadia district observed the day as the birth anniversary of the 16th century Vaishnav saint and social reformer Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The devotees placed idols of Radha-Krishna on decorated palanquins and carried them. They also offered prayers to Radha-Krishna on this special day of Dol Purnima (Dol is celebrated on a full moon day).

In Santiniketan, students and teachers of Visva-Bharati University, founded by Tagore, celebrated Basanta Utsav (festival of spring).

The celebrations started with a procession at 7 a.m. amid Tagore’s songs followed by the main function. Thousands of people from across the country and abroad assembled at Santiniketan, about 180 km from here, to participate in the Basanta Utsav at the university campus.

“All adequate measures have been taken to observe the festival in usual manner throughout the day and keep the environment peaceful. In the evening, the students and teachers will stage Tagore’s dance drama - ‘Chitrangada’,” said Visva-Bharati spokesperson Amitabha Chowdhury.