The festival of colours – Holi is being celebrated throughout the country with traditional enthusiasm. The festival, which signifies the arrival of spring, end of winter and the beginning of the summer, is celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil. <br/><br/>The celebration began last evening with lighting up of bonfire popularly known as Holika Dahan. People burnt effigies of Holika, the devil minded sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap at several places. <br/><br/>In some parts of the country like West Bengal, the festival was celebrated as Vasant utsava yesterday. <br/><br/>Security has been tightened across the country in view of the festival. Adequate police forces have been deployed at important locations like railway stations, bus stands and other public places. <br/><br/>The Festival of colours Holi is being celebrated in the capital region with full of joy and traditional enthusiasm. Delhi Police PRO Rajan bhagat appealed not to throw water ballons at people and not to violate traffic regulation during the festival.<br/>AIR Correspondent reports that last year more than 10 thousand people were prosecuted for various offences like drunken driving, over speeding and dangerous driving.<br/> <br/>Doctors have said that while playing colours, the revelers should remain cautious about the eyes. Eye specialists says, if colour enters the eyes, wash it with water till the irritation subsides and do not scrub the cornea. <br/><br/>The President, Vice President, Prime Minister and UPA Chairperson have greeted people of the occasion of Holi. In her message, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil said the festival strengthens fraternal bonds amongst our people and bring peace and prosperity to our nation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the festival of Holi is an occasion for renewing old bonds of friendship and making new ones. In his message, Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari said the mood of joyfulness captured in the colours of Holi unites people in the celebration of the festival, strengthening our social fabric. The UPA chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi also greeted people on the festival of colours. <br/> <br/>In Uttar Pradesh Holi is being celebrated today with traditional fervor and gaiety across the state amid tight security. The administration has announced that colors will not be allowed after one PM. Unprecedented security arrangements have been made for ensuring peace during celebration of festival across the state. At sensitive areas magistrates and police officers have been deployed to maintain law and order.<br/><br/>AIR Lucknow correspondent reports that Holy revelers have started coming out in groups in streets and on roads house to house for the Holi celebrations. Good weather has encouraged the people to celebrate Holi in traditional way. Musical and literary programmes are also being held at evening hours at many places to mark the festival. In Mathura Holi festivities reached at it’s peak in Braj Bhumi with lakhs of pilgrims descending to celebrate the festival in the land of Lord Krishna. Devotees have gathered in large numbers at the places attached with the legend of Holi played by Krishna and Radha Rani including Vrindavan, Goverdhan, Nandgaon, Barsana, Gokul, Baldeo and Mathura. In this district fanfare starts from Basant Panchami while At Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur and Mathura it will be celebrated for several days.<br/>Holika Dahan was held last evening across the state. Effigies of Holika, the devil minded sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap were placed at several places in most of the towns in the wood. Security forces have been put on high alert to peacefully conduct of the festivals. About 40 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary and Rapid Action Force have been deployed at sensitive districts of the state including Lucknow, Meerut, Bareilly, Kanpur, Faizabad, Allahabad, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Shahjahanpur, Aligarh, Gorakhpur and Varanasi among others to maintain law and order and endure event free festivals. The state government has directed the all districts administration for taking special steps at all those places where law and order was disturbed during the last year on the festival.<br/><br/>The people of Gujarat are celebrating the Holi as a festival of colours today. AIR Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that despite the soaring prices of essential commodities, the people enjoying the festival with spraying colours and offering sweets to each other.<br/><br/>While, the festival of colour is being celebrated with joy and enthusiasm in the bordering district of Kutch today. Youth in large numbers were seen playing Holi with colour in different parts of the region. AIR Bhuj correspondent reports that jawans of Border Security forces deployed on the Indo-Pak border in Kutch celebrated Holi at Dharamsala, Vigokot, Lakhpat, Koteshwar and other border posts with traditional fervour.<br/><br/> <br/>