Source::Xinhuanet
NEW DELHI,
Holi, the festival of colors, is usually celebrated with much fun and fervor in India. But this year, due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual enthusiasm is missing. The festival of Holi marks the arrival of spring and the end of the winter season in India. Particularly a festival of the Hindus, it is also celebrated by people belonging to different religions and communities. For farmers, it signifies the onset of the spring harvest season of crops.
Usually, during the festival, people smear colors and throw colored water on each other. Sweets and specially cooked food are offered to guests, neighbors, and relatives. The saga of celebrating the festival begins in the morning and continues well beyond the afternoon.
As India has been facing the resurgence of the pandemic, many states have banned public celebrations in the wake of the sudden surge in the number of daily cases and deaths. Appeals have been made by several state governments to the public to keep themselves at home and not indulge in outdoor revelry.
Though people, particularly children and youths, indulged in public revelry in some states where the pandemic incidence is comparatively lesser. According to the latest figures released by the federal health ministry on Monday, India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 12 million mark while total deaths reached 161,843.
A total of 68,020 cases were detected in the past 24 hours, though in January this figure had come down to below 10,000.
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