Holi celebrated with enthusiasm across the terai

Dhangadhi: The festival of colors, Holi, was celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm across the Terai, including Kailali, on Friday.

People marked the occasion by exchanging greetings, throwing abir, and smearing colors on each other. Various communities in Kailali observed Holi in their own unique traditions. The Tharu community celebrated it as Dhurheri, while the Ranatharu and Katharia Tharu communities observed it as Hori.

Children and young people gathered in public places, playing with colors and abir. The Tharu community celebrates Dhurheri for two days, continuing the festivities on Saturday. According to Satyanarayan Dahit, the festival is marked with color play, water splashes, and traditional delicacies like bariya, fish, and meat.

Meanwhile, the Ranatharu community observed Hori Parva, their biggest festival, which lasts for 38 days. According to Agunarayan Rana, a young leader of the Ranatharu community, the festival consists of two phases—'Zinda Hori' before Chir Dahan and 'Mari Hori' after it. Hori Parva will continue for another week, concluding only after the ritual of breaking the 'Khakdehada'. During the celebrations, youths go door to door performing traditional dances.

Additionally, some children were seen blocking roads to collect money from passersby, a practice the District Administration Office has discouraged, deeming it unlawful. However, the tradition appears to persist despite official warnings.