- Title: Devotees play Holi with ash in northern India
- Date: 7th March 2020
- Summary: VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (MARCH 06, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) DEVOTEES CHANTING PRIESTS OFFERING PRAYERS AND PERFORMING 'AARTI' (FIRE RITUAL)/PRIEST THROWING ASH ON 'SHIVALINGA' (A PHALLUS REPRESENTATION OF SHIVA) DEVOTEES THROWING ASH VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES PLAYING PELLET DRUMS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DEVOTEE, RAVI KANT VISHVAKARMA, SAYING: "We and the people of Varanasi play Holi (festival of colours) with ash taken from pyres at the cremation site. This is a very old tradition of Varanasi and people of Varanasi have kept this tradition alive till today." PYRE BURNING AS DEVOTEES STAND BANNER DEVOTEES WALKING NEAR PYRES MEN PLAYING PELLET DRUMS AS DEVOTEES STAND NEAR PYRES MAN THROWING ASH AS OTHERS STAND (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DEVOTEE, SURBHI, SAYING: "This is a very old tradition and as you can see this wonderful scene today. It is celebrated a day after 'Rangbhari Ekadashi'(colourful 11th day after full moon and new moon) today as Holi of crematorium. Lord Vishwanath (Shiva) plays Holi with the ghosts and spirits over here." DEVOTEES DANCING PRIESTS AND OTHERS STANDING TOURIST CARRYING CHILD ON SHOULDER DEVOTEES DANCING AS ASH IS THROWN PYRES BURNING AS DEVOTEES ARE SEEN STANDING IN THE BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 21st March 2020 07:12
- Keywords: Ganges Holi India Shiva Varanasi ash festival pyre
- Location: VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
- City: VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001C41XB9R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Devotees gathered at the 'Manikarnika Ghat'-a riverfront alongside river Ganges, in India's northern Varanasi city on Friday (March 06) to celebrate the Hindu festival of colours, Holi in a unique manner by smearing pyre ash on each other.
Prayers were offered to Hindu God of destruction, Shiva as devotees played pellet drums, threw ash from cremation pyres and smeared it on each other's faces to celebrate the occasion.
A devotee, Surbhi said it was a wonderful scene to see this age-old tradition of playing Holi with ash.
It is believed that the tradition of the festival started when Shiva played 'Holi' with pyre ashes with his aides to celebrate the return of his wife Parvati. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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