Bhubaneswar: Holi frenzy gripped Odisha today as people across the state celebrated the festival of colours with enthusiasm and gaiety.
In Bhubaneswar, the streets were filled with Holi revellers who danced in groups while spraying, smearing and throwing colours at each other.
The campuses of residential educational institutions across the city came alive with students losing themselves in gay abandon amidst the riot of colours and loud music.
In the residential areas, people were found moving in groups and visiting every other house in their neighbourhood.
Holi has been referred in the puranic texts as Basantotsaba or the spring-festival. Some scriptures testify that the Madanotsaba, the festival held in honour of Madana or the Cupid was later transformed as the Dolatsaba or swing-festival of Krishna. Therefore, Krishna is propitiated on this occasion as Madana Mohana.
Though the festival of Holi is observed for a day with mirth and merriment all over the country, the festival is celebrated for five days in Odisha. It starts from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Phalguna known as Fagu Dashami.
