Youngsters celebrating Holi in Vijayawada on Friday.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI
Holi in Vijayawada was a tapestry of colour, sound and joy. The morning sun brought excitement, and from the narrow lanes of One Town to the bustling streets around Indrakeeladri hill, the abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation.
Nearly 500 members of Maheswhari Samaj and Maheshwari Navayug Seva Samithi emerged from their homes on Saturday and headed to Radha Gardens, near Vijayawada Club, the venue of the festival of colour.
The rhythm of drums filled the streets, setting the pace for the day’s celebrations. Children with faces smeared in vibrant hues of pink, blue, yellow and green, dashed from one house to the other, armed with water balloons and ‘pichkaris’.
Girls beating drums as part of the Holi celebrations, at Babburi ground, near Punnami Ghat, in Vijayawada on Friday.
| Photo Credit:
K.V.S. GIRI
At Radha Gardens, as foot-tapping music blared in the background, children, youngsters, men and women matched their steps, laughing and tossing colours in the air.
“Members of our families, spread across the globe, arrive in Vijayawada to be a part of this fun and joyful celebration every year,” said Nand Kishore Loya, secretary of Maheshwari Samaj.
“The best part of Holi is the sheer sense of joy and togetherness it brings. People, regardless of age, background, or status, come together to celebrate life on this day,” he said.
Members of Banjara Seva Samithi organised collective celebrations at Ambedkar Bhavan in Arundelpet. The sound of Holi songs blared from loudspeakers, and the place vibrated with beats that invited everybody in the vicinity to join the dance.
At Kondapavuluri Gardens beside Adventura, Dhatree Events and N Square Entertainments jointly organised the celebrations that took the festival to a whole new level of fun, energy and excitement. Even as the sun blazed overhead, the beats of music were all that mattered for the crowd, mostly youth.
To accentuate the fun element, foam pipes were released on the delirious crowd. Children covered in frothy white foam laughed and jumped around, as their feet sank into a white layer of froth, but they did not miss the beat of the music played by the DJ.
“We want people to remember this Holi with foam, music and a DJ,” said an elated V. Ramya, one of the organisers.
Towards the afternoon, people walking on the roads were seen covered in hues, with remnants of the festival clinging to their clothes, faces and hearts.
Published – March 14, 2025 06:40 pm IST
