NEW DELHI: Holi, the festival of colours, was celebrated with great enthusiasm across North and Central India on Friday. This year, it coincided with the second Friday prayers of the Muslim community for Ramzan, and despite some tensions, the festival unfolded peacefully across the country, thanks to stringent security measures. Elaborate security measures were implemented across North and Central India. According to official figures, over 25,000 security personnel were deployed in Delhi, with additional police forces stationed across roughly 300 sensitive areas, monitored by CCTV cameras and drones. Traffic and city police set up joint pickets at major intersections, forming special teams to tackle issues such as drunk driving and traffic violations.In Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, which had been tense since the November 24 riots, Holi celebrations were peaceful thanks to strict security measures. Police had imposed curbs in Hyderabad as well, banning vehicle groups and throwing of colours on unwilling participants.Some observers noted that following the recently-concluded Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, Holi celebrations saw an exceptionally large turnout, a remarkable return to grandeur after a five-year gap caused by the pandemic. Manish Kumar, a New Delhi-based supplier of gulaal (powdered colour), reported that the sale of herbal gulaal and liquid colours surged this year in the national capital, with 99% of buyers, particularly women, opting for herbal gulaal.
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