Bhopal: Bhopalites drench each other in colours, dance in joy

BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): The residents of Bhopal drenched one another in colours and danced to the tune Bollywood numbers on Tuesday when they celebrated Rangpanchami to conclude the five-day Holi festival which began from Thursday with the burning of Holika.

There was every reason to delight, because the residents celebrated the occasion after two years.

The public celebrations of all festivals were banned because of the corona pandemic.

As well as putting colours on one another, the residents took out processions in different areas in the city ñ Subhash Chowk, Loha Bazaar, Jumerati, Janakpuri, Somwara, Bhawani Chowk, Lakherapura, Peer gate Chowk, Itwara, Transport Road, Mangalwara, Ghora Nakkas.

If the occasion is Holi, Thandai made of Bhang (cannabis), milk and dry fruits cannot be far behind. So, it was provided to the revelers free cost.

The police, however, kept a watchful eye on the activities of the revellers.

Policemen deployed at all the vantage points in the city checked each vehicle passing by. As a result, few could afford to drive four-wheelers or two-wheelers in an inebriated state.

As the business establishments, government and private offices were closed and as city buses and three-wheelers were off the roads, the thoroughfares wore a deserted look.

Superintending engineer of Bhopal Municipal Corporation AR Panwar said that water was properly supplied.

The civic body generally supplies water to 90% of areas in the city daily in the day and 10% them get it at night, but almost all the areas received water supply in the day on Tuesday, Panwar said.

As usual, medical and other emergency services continued, and the doctors, the nurses and other staff were not allowed to leave the district headquarters.

As the morning slipped into afternoon, joy of Rangpanchami reached its acme which continued till the evening.

By the time the last drumbeats of the festival were heard, the tired revellers returned to their homes to keep the memory alive.