India devotees ignore Covid restrictions, celebrate Holi

Thousands of devotees defied coronavirus prevention protocols and social distancing norms in Mathura's Barsana to celebrate the festival of colours as in the past years.

Barsana: Thousands of devotees, mostly without masks and violating COVID-19 protocols, thronged the streets of Barsana to celebrate Holi, a Hindu festival of colour.

Holi marks the advent of spring in India and is celebrated all around the country with coloured powders, water, and squirt guns.

Read:|Preparations afoot for famous ‘Barsana Holi’ in Mathura

India has reported its highest number of coronavirus cases in four months, amid a worrying surge that has prompted multiple states to return to some form of restrictions on public gathering.

India's health ministry on Tuesday reported 40,715 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Though Holi is celebrated on a particular day, March 29 this year, in the villages around Mathura, it is a week-long affair.

AP

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