Holi, a Hindu religious festival of colours, will be celebrated across the country today (Tuesday) with due religious fervour and much enthusiasm.
The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring,end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh,forget and forgive, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a goodharvest.
The festival, also known as Dol Purnima (full moon day), will begin on Tuesday morning and continue till afternoon.
It also usually lasts for two days starting on the Purnima in several parts of the country. As a ritual in celebration of the festival, the devotees visit the shrines, temples and offer colours (abir) at the feet of Idol of the God Sri Krishnaand Goddess Sri Radhika.
AbirKhela, a significant part of the festival, means throwing of abir, akind of perfumed and pink coloured powder and other colorful powders by revelers, on each other making festival-goers coated in colour to make the extravaganza enthusiastic. Under the arrangement of MahanagarSarbajanin Puja Committee, religious songs in praise of lord Krishna and other rituals, including worshiping of lord Krishna, will begin in the morning at Dhakeshwari National Temple on the occasionof Dol Purnima.
Abir will be offered at the feet of idols of Radha Krishna and Chaitanyadeb. Devotees will also offer the Abir to god and goddess. Besides, the festival will be celebrated at different temples across the country, including capital Dhaka.
Marking the festival, the surroundings of Dhakeshwari Temple and Dhaka University campus usually wear a festive look as hundreds of youths irrespective of religions, castes and creeds celebrate the festival with different colors.
At Dhakeshwari temple and Jagannath Hall, students will celebrate the festival colouring the fellow devotees and taking their photographs and selfies.
The festival has been introduced marking an auspicious day when Sri Krishna, Sri Radhika and their friends were playing with Abir at Brindaban in
the ancient days. The festival is known as DolJatra in many states in India, including West Bengal, Tamilnadu (Madras), Orissa and North, West and Middle regions of India.Holi or DolJatra is also celebrated in neighbouring Nepal.
