Common people, politicians celebrate Holi with gaiety

New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) Common people and politicians
alike came out on the streets in large numbers in India's
national capital to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours,
splashing colour and singing along to the accompaniment of
drums.

Children and grown ups gleefully sprayed coloured water
and smeared others with colours of the rainbow. Water-filled
balloons were hurled down from rooftops and balconies
accompanied by shouts of 'Holi Hai!' renting the air.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too met and greeted
President Pratibha Patil on the occasion, his first meeting
with her since his coronary by-pass surgery nearly seven weeks
back.

Otherwise, it was a quiet Holi for Singh, who is
recovering after a by-pass surgery in January. Some
of his Cabinet colleagues called on Singh and extended Holi
greetings.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi greeted her party workers
with a Holi SMS while party workers were seen celebrating
among themselves outside the All India Congress Committee
(AICC) office. Gandhi later celebrated Holi with school
children at her residence where she applied 'gulal' on them.

Though BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani did
not celebrate Holi in the backdrop of Mumbai terror attacks,
his party chief Rajnath Singh and senior leader V K Malhotra
celebrated the festival at their residences here.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit too celebrated the
festival of colours at her residence. PTI SJY
SAK