A rainbow of colours soaked the city on Thursday, setting the tone for Dhuleti. Several educational institutions and offices celebrated the festival of colours a day earlier, before the long fun-filled Holi weekend.
At sundown, Holika’s pyres across the city were lit, symbolising the victory of good over evil.
On Thursday, several city roads wore a deserted look, as many people set off to nearby hotspots or out of the city for the holidays. Bus depots and railway stations witnessed milling crowds leaving for Rajasthan and areas in Gujarat’s tribal belts for the festivities, while shopping for colours and water guns continued till late night.
To mark Dhuleti, rain dances, Holi-themed parties and community meals have been planned across the city. With the past few days witnessing high heat, citizens hope to find some respite in splashes of colour and water. “We have planned a Holi-themed party, complete with water balloons, water guns, rain dance and gulaal. We will have a DJ at the venue along with meals for members. We have asked members not to play with colours in the common areas for their safety and society’s cleanliness,” said the secretary of a residential society in South Bopal. EMRI 108 officials said that emergency cases of vehicular trauma, non-vehicular trauma, and assault record a spike on Dhuleti day. They have urged citizens to celebrate with caution and not inconvenience citizens.