Bengal celebrates Holi amid coronavirus scare

Kolkata: Holi, the festival of colours, was celebrated with enthusiasm across West Bengal as men and women took to the streets smearing ‘gulal’ on each other’s faces, while children sprinkled coloured water on others.

At several get-togethers in and around the city and various places across the districts, ‘Basanto Utsab’ was celebrated with much fanfare.

At Tallah Park area in North Kolkata revellers were seen wearing masks while smearing each other with ‘gulal’ in the wake of the coronavirus scare.

“We will enjoy and celebrate, but cautiously,” Dolly Samanta, a young reveller said.

The day was celebrated with religious fervour at the Vaishnav shrines of Nabadwip in Nadia district and also at the global headquarters of ISKCON in Mayapur.

Sanitisers and masks were kept at the temple premises as a precautionary measure against possible coronavirus infection as thousands have congregated at the temple since Sunday evening.

At Visva-Bharati university in Birbhum district, the customary ‘Basanta Utsav’ was banned this year in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

To prevent a large gathering, the campus area was cordoned off. Many visitors went to the nearby popular Sonajhuri Khowai field, outside Visva-Bharati campus and played Holi with ‘gulal’.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the occasion wished a peaceful Doljatra and happiness in everyone’s life. “Heartiest greetings to all on the occasion of Dol Purnima,” she tweeted.

In Bengal, it is believed that a festival belongs to all irrespective of religions, she said in another tweet in Bengali.

Taking a break from political activities, West Bengal ministers and Trinamool Congress leaders such as Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and Sujit Bose took part in the festival in their constituencies.

BJP leaders Dilip Ghosh and Sayantan Basu also joined the festivities. Monks of Ramakrishna Mission started the day with the traditional ‘prabhat pheri’ inside the premises of Belur Math, the global headquarters of the order.

Several Tollywood celebrities also took a break and celebrated Holi with their friends.