How Indians are marking the Holi festival amid a second Covid wave

Pandemic restrictions might stop grand celebrations but they won’t kill our spirits, a family tells Peony Hirwani

A child is covered in coloured powder during Holi celebrations in Amritsar (AFP/Getty)

Holi is one of the most significant and fun-loving Hindu festivals celebrated with great gusto each year in India. On this national holiday, the country lets loose – loved ones smear each other with colours, toss water balloons and dance to a soundtrack of Bollywood beats, while enjoying festive food and bhang – an edible preparation of cannabis. 

If Holi was celebrated in India under the shadow of the emerging pandemic last year, this year a growing second wave is underway as new daily cases cross the 50,000 mark.

Large public gatherings were officially prohibited as a result, forcing families to get creative with smaller and more personalised ways to mark this auspicious festival.