With the rise in COVID-19 cases in the city, the festival of colours Holi was a low-key affair in the city. The police and district administration had enforced strict norms, banning celebrations at public places.
For a change, the iconic Ramakrishna Beach wore a deserted look, with the deployment of police personnel. Normally, on the Holi festival day, the beach is thronged by revellers and for this year, the festivities were restricted to homes.
However, people living in apartments and gated communities found different ways to celebrate the festival.
In some gated communities, the festival was celebrated by distributing sweets and in some places, the residents organised their own arena to douse themselves in different hues.
“We restricted the entry of outsiders and built a makeshift enclosure to allow only the residents to play Holi,” said the president of a gated community in Marripalem area.
Speaking to The Hindu , Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ch. Adinarayana said that adequate police force were deployed at all beaches to restrict public playing of Holi. “This was done after district administration has become cautious in the wake of a surge of new cases in this month,” he said.
Parents took caution in allowing their children to indulge in colours and in this year, even shops selling colours and other accessories for the festival were very few.
