Mirth and merriment mark Holi celebrations in Lucknow
Bon homie and communal amity was on show across the city as the citizens celebrated Holi on Friday. While some celebrated with their family members, others reached parts of the Old City to participate in the celebrations.
At ‘Holi ki Hurdang’ organised by Chowk Holi Samiti academician and member of parliament (Rajya Sabha), Dinesh Sharma and deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak were present.
Pathak also rode a camel which led the way for the procession which included tongas, ikkas and e-rickshaws. The people who participated in the baraat were constantly showered with gulal, water and flowers. People engaged in singing bollywood numbers while enjoying themselves, and the procession was welcomed at various stops by people from different communities. The procession began from Koneshwar Mandir to Chowk crossing via Khun Khun Ji Road, Victoria Street, Akbari Gate and Chowk Sarafa.
A kavi-sammelan was organised on Saturday.
A similar view was seen in the procession taken out from Chaupatiya. Some Muslims had set up stalls in the Old City to provide water bottles to Holi revellers. Several tongas, camels, ikkas and e-rickshaws were part of the procession which began from Chaupatiya and ended after covering Bholanath Kuan, Akbari Gate, Victoria Street, Chowk Crossing, Hardoi Road and Saraimali Khan.
At Khatu Shyamji Temple, people danced their hearts out while getting covered in gulal from head to toe. The music resounded throughout the temple the entire day.
Many also celebrated Gaur Purnima at International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the birth anniversary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu through kirtans and cultural programmes.
At Ramakrishna Math, the celebration included special chanting based on Bhagvad Gita followed by a sermon on ‘Significance of Holi’ in the tradition of Ramakrishna order and Holi congregation. In the evening, a discourse on ‘Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’ was also organised.
BJP leaders attend Holi Milan
Senior BJP leaders attended a Holi Milan function organised by party leader Neeraj Singh at the IMRT Business School ground in Gomti Nagar, on Saturday.
Neeraj Singh welcomed guests by applying gulal. BJP workers played Holi with rose petals, flowers and gulal.
On the occasion, artistes presented Holi songs and bhajans. Guests enjoyed Gujiya, Thandai and Chaat.
Prominent among those present were deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma, state general secretary (JP) Govind Narayan Shukla, state general secretary Sanjay Rai, district president Anand Dwivedi, MLC Mukesh Sharma, mayor Sushma Kharkwal, MLA Dr Neeraj Bora, MLCs Ramchandra Pradhan, Pawan Singh Chauhan and Avnish Patel.
Home secretary Sanjay Prasad, advisor to CM Avnish Awasthi, secretary RK Singh, CMO NB Singh, business leaders, party officials, councillors, divisional presidents and thousands of workers attended the function.
