Skip links

Skip to Content
play

Live

Navigation menu

  • News
    • Middle East
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • US & Canada
    • Latin America
    • Europe
    • Asia Pacific
  • Ukraine war
  • Features
  • Economy
  • Opinion
  • Video
    • Coronavirus
    • Climate Crisis
    • Investigations
    • Interactives
    • In Pictures
    • Science & Technology
    • Sports
    • Podcasts
play

Live

In Pictures

Gallery|Coronavirus pandemic

India celebrates Holi amid alarming surge in COVID cases

For a second consecutive year, people encouraged to stay home to avoid turning the festivities into superspreader events.

Men covered in coloured powder take a selfie as they celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, in Amritsar, Punjab. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Published On 29 Mar 202129 Mar 2021
facebooktwitterwhatsapp

Indians are celebrating Holi, the festival of colours, despite many states restricting gatherings to contain a coronavirus resurgence across the country.

Holi marks the advent of spring and is widely celebrated throughout Hindu-majority India.

Most years, millions of people throw coloured powder and spray water at each other in outdoor celebrations. But for the second consecutive year, people were encouraged to stay home to avoid turning the festivities into superspreader events amid the latest virus surge.

India’s confirmed infections have exceeded 60,000 daily over the past week from a low of about 10,000 in February. On Monday, the health ministry reported 68,020 new cases, the sharpest daily rise since October last year, taking the nationwide tally to more than 12 million.

Daily deaths rose by 291 on Monday, taking the total death toll due to the virus to 161,843.

The latest surge is centred in the western state of Maharashtra, which on Sunday reported 40,414 new coronavirus cases, almost two-thirds of the national total, many of them in the densely populated financial capital Mumbai.

Authorities in Maharashtra, India’s richest state, have tightened travel restrictions and imposed night curfews to prevent the spread of the virus. It is now considering a strict lockdown.

Cases are also rising in the capital New Delhi and states of Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

The surge coincides with multi-stage state elections marked by large gatherings and roadshows, and the Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival, celebrated in northern Haridwar city, where tens of thousands of Hindu devotees daily take a holy dip in the Ganges river.

Health experts worry that unchecked gatherings can lead to clusters, adding the situation can be controlled if vaccination is opened up for more people and COVID-19 protocols are strictly followed.

India, with a population of more than 1.3 billion, has vaccinated about 60 million people, of whom only 9 million have received both doses of vaccine so far.

However, more than 60 million doses manufactured in India have been exported abroad, prompting widespread criticism that domestic needs should be catered to first.

The government last week said there would be no immediate increase in exports. It said vaccines will be given to everyone over 45 starting April 1.

People are seen near a giant effigy of the coronavirus to be burned as part of Holika Dahan, or the burning of Indian mythical demon Holika, usually performed on the eve of Holi celebrations, in Mumbai. [Sujit Jaiswal/AFP]
Advertisement
People play with 'gulal', a coloured powder used in Holi celebrations, at a temple in Amritsar, Punjab. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Holi celebrations in Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir. Holi marks the advent of spring and is widely celebrated throughout Hindu-majority India. [Jaipal Singh/EPA]
Tourists and locals during Holi festival celebrations in Kolkata. For the second consecutive year, people were encouraged to stay home to avoid turning the festivities into superspreader events amid the latest virus surge. [Piyal Adhikary/EPA]
A child covered in colours stands as tourists and locals celebrate Holi festival in Kolkata in West Bengal state, where assembly elections are being held. [Piyal Adhikary/EPA]
Revellers adorned with coloured powder celebrate Holi in Siliguri. The COVID surge coincides with multi-stage state elections. [Diptendu Dutta/AFP]
Advertisement
People celebrate Holi in Kolkata. India’s confirmed infections have exceeded 60,000 daily over the past week from a low of about 10,000 in February. [Piyal Adhikary/EPA]
Boys cover each other with coloured powder during Holi celebrations in Chennai. On Monday, the health ministry reported 68,020 new cases, the sharpest daily rise since October last year. [P Ravikumar/Reuters]
People celebrate Holi in the southern city of Hyderabad. [Mahesh Kumar A/AP Photo]


    • About Us
    • Code of Ethics
    • Terms and Conditions
    • EU/EEA Regulatory Notice
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Cookie Preferences
    • Sitemap
    • Community Guidelines
    • Work for us
    • HR Quality
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Apps
    • Channel Finder
    • TV Schedule
    • Podcasts
    • Submit a Tip
    • Al Jazeera Arabic
    • Al Jazeera English
    • Al Jazeera Investigative Unit
    • Al Jazeera Mubasher
    • Al Jazeera Documentary
    • Al Jazeera Balkans
    • AJ+
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
    • Al Jazeera Media Institute
    • Learn Arabic
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights
    • Al Jazeera Forum
    • Al Jazeera Hotel Partners

Follow Al Jazeera English:

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • instagram-colored-outline
  • rss
Al Jazeera Media Network logo
© 2023 Al Jazeera Media Network