The State government’s ban on public celebrations of Holi remained virtually unenforced in Belagavi and Hubballi-Dharwad on Monday.
Revellers came out in large numbers on the streets in Belagavi to throw colours on each other and dance to the tunes of songs. Some youth rode motorbikes across the city at full speed and greeted pedestrians with Happy Holi.
Some went around in open vans throwing colour water on by-standers. Veeranna Madiwalar, a teacher who was travelling by bus, said that some persons threw egg and stinky chemicals on travellers in the name of Holi celebrations.
Teenagers got together at street corners and burnt Kamanna, the God of Desire, in effigies across Tilakwadi and the old city areas in Belagavi.
In Dharwad, the coronavirus scare did not stop people from celebrating the festival of colours. Holi was celebrated as usual, albeit without some events such as rain dance and Dahi Handi or breaking the curd pot.
With the district administration banning the use of DJ loudspeakers, Halagi or hand-held drums came to dominate Holi music. Police patrolling vehicles and Health Department staff were patrolling the city, making announcements against people gathering in large numbers. Largely, people listened to it. But in some areas such as Subhash Road, large groups of people came out to play with colours. Children were the first to be seen on the roads in the morning. They left for home after they were drenched in colours by noon.
