Lucknow: Men dressed in white cotton kurtas and women in sarees greeted each other with hugs and applied gulal, turning the attire a mix of pink, yellow and green during Uttarakhand’s traditional ‘khadi’ (standing) and ‘baithki’ (sitting) Holi celebrations on Monday.Members of UP Parvatiya Mahaparishad gathered in their Gomtinagar office, where ‘baithki’ Holi segment unfolded with women seated in semicircles leading Kumaoni and Garhwali folk songs.As part of ‘khadi’ Holi, men joined in with rhythmic claps and later broke into coordinated dance, drawing applause.‘Dhol’, ‘tabla’, ‘dholak’ and harmonium accompanied the singing as the fragrance of ‘abeer’ lingered in the air.Mahendra Bisht, a participant, said: “When we celebrate Holi in traditional way, it feels like preserving something sacred.”“Baithki Holi is about melody and emotion. Though we sing while sitting, our hearts dance with every note,” said singer Shanti Devi.Revelers were served with traditional food of Uttarakhand.
