Dharwad city and surrounding villages witnessed a riot of colours on account of Holi festival on Tuesday with a large number of people, predominantly youths, coming out to celebrate the festival of colours.
The celebrations were even more vibrant this year compared to the previous year and the hot Sun did not deter them from celebrating the festival.
The celebrations began early in the morning with children indulging in revelry and young girls and boys joining them subsequently. Elders of the family too joined a little later. However, with exams under way, the students of Class X had to give a miss to the celebrations this year.
While last year Assembly elections had resulted in political leaders actively participating and organising Holi-related events, this year too there was a similar trend on account of the Lok Sabha elections.
Although the municipal administration made an appeal to people not to organise rain dance, at a few places the event was organised as part of traditional pot- breaking competitions.
KCD Circle, Subhas Road, Sangam Circle, Jayanagar, Maratha Colony and other junctions in Dharwad witnessed huge crowds.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi and other leaders visited these places drenched in colours and inaugurated the various events.
Young boys and girls roaming around the city on their two-wheelers, visiting and greeting their friends and acquaintances and smearing powdered colours on their faces was a common sight.
Some middle-aged couples too were going around the city.
At junctions and near Kamanna pandals, the revellers danced to the beats of traditional drums at a few places and to the foot-thumping music of hit songs played using high decibel sound systems.
As has been the practice, the idols of Rathi and Manmatha were taken out in a procession before effigies were set on fire.
In Hubballi, only in a few localities, including Vidyanagar and Old Hubballi, Holi celebrations were organised as the city celebrates the festival of colours on Rangapanchami day on Friday. Several members of Muslim community took part in the celebrations in a few localities.
As a precautionary measure, the police made elaborate bandobast arrangements and the celebrations concluded peacefully.
Holi celebrations were also organised in the districts of Haveri and Gadag.
