In Pictures | Holi, the festival of colours, in the times of pandemic and elections

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal campaigns during Holi celebrations, in Guwahati. (Source: The Hindu)

The festival of colours is back with a bang. People across the country smeared coloured powder and sprayed coloured water by way of celebrating Holi on Monday. The celebrations were in full swing despite several States restricted gatherings to contain the spread of another wave of COVID-19 infections, rippling across the country.

Here is a vignette of Holi celebrations across the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress leader Riju Ghosal celebrates Holi during an election campaign for the West Bengal Assembly polls, in Nadia district, West Bengal. (Source: PTI)

Congress leader Riju Ghosal celebrate Holi during an election campaign for the West Bengal Assembly polls, in Nadia district, West Bengal. (Source: PTI)

Women celebrate Holi by smearing colour powder on two COVID-19 warriors wearing PPE kit, at Begumbazar in Kolkata. (Source: PTI)

Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh workers celebrate Holi festival, in Gorakhpur, Monday, March 29, 2021. (Source: PTI)

Children play with water guns during Holi festival, in Patna. (Source: PTI)

A group of girls celebrates Holi in Khammam. Holi, the festival of colours, is also known as Holika. A Holika bonfire is lit every year to remind the mankind of the victory of good over evil. (Source: The Hindu)

Bhakts of Majgaon Bor Namghar play traditional drums and chant religious hymns during a ‘Doul Utsav’ (Holi Festival) at Tezpur in Sonitpur district. (Source: PTI)

Youngsters celebrate Holi festival in Bikaner, Rajasthan, which is one of the ten States that shows an upward trajectory in the daily new COVID-19 cases. (Source: PTI)

Delhi police personnel detains a person for breaking COVID-19 norms and not wearing a mask, during Holi celebrations, at Dilshad garden in New Delhi. (Source: The Hindu)

A group of people celebrates Holi without wearing masks, despite warning by Delhi police of strict actions against those violating COVID-19 norms and the spike in cases. (Source: The Hindu)

A family seen celebrating Holi on their terrace. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority has passed an Order prohibiting people from gathering in large numbers in public for festivals such as Holi and Shab-e-Baraat in New Delhi. (Source: The Hindu)

Throwing social-distancing norms and COVD-19 guidelines to the wind, youngsters play with dry colours on the occasion of Holi festival, in Patiala, Punjab. (Source: PTI)