It is a riot of colours in Dharwad

Dharwad witnessed a riot of colours on Wednesday as thousands of people of all age groups came out in large numbers to celebrate Holi festival despite a blazing Sun.

The city recorded temperature as high as 36 degrees Celsius on Wednesday but that did not deter the revellers from celebrating the festival.

The celebrations which began early in the morning continued till late evening and concluded peacefully as hundreds of policemen kept vigil at vantage points.

Stray instances of verbal duel among revellers were reported but they were quickly resolved with the intervention of elders and the police.

The revellers roamed around from one locality to other, many on two-wheelers and some on foot. Cheers, splashing and dousing of colours and dancing to the beats of music and traditional percussion instruments were a common sight in various localities.

The celebrations by children were mostly restricted to till noon and within their respective localities, while youths and middle-aged men and women went around the city. However, II PU students could not celebrate the festival as their examinations are under way.

A group of boys in action during the Holi celebrations in Dharwad on Wednesday.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Groups of boys and girls took part in contests to break colour-filled and curd pots organised as part of the festival in different localities. Shopkeepers selling colours, pichkaris and soft drinks did brisk business even as other commercial establishments and shops remained closed.

DJ music and rain dance events organised at Gandhi Chowk, Sangam Circle and on College Road by various organisations and pot-breaking contests at Jayanagar and Srinagar Circle attracted huge crowds.

The celebrations formally began with effigies of Kamanna (Lord Manmatha) being burnt in various localities. As many as 130 Kamanna Pandals were erected in the city this year. As part of the festival, beating of drums and folk song competitions were also held.