Kanpur: The week-long Holi celebrations concluded in the city on Tuesday evening with the traditional Ganga Mela at Sarsaiya Ghat on the banks of the Ganga.Thousands of residents participated in the historic ‘Rango Ka Thela’ procession in the morning and later gathered at Sarsaiya Ghat in the evening to exchange Holi greetings.The celebrations commenced after district magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh and Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal hoisted the national flag at Rajjan Babu Park and paid floral tributes to freedom fighters before flagging off the colourful procession on Tuesday morning. Thousands of people gathered along Birhana road to welcome the procession.People showered flower petals on the procession and showered coloured water. The participants were offered gujhia, snacks, and water as the procession passed through the city areas. However, special attraction of the procession—the traditional buffalo cart—was missing this year due to its unavailability. A member of the Hatia Ganga Mela committee, Gyendra Bishnoi, said the organisers were ready to bear any cost for arranging the cart but could not find one. In its absence, the procession comprised six camels, five horses, eight tractors with trolleys, and several four-wheeler loaders.Participants danced to the beats of music and applied colours on each other. A matki-breaking ceremony was also organised on Birhana Road. Revellers covered their faces with masks or helmets, while a groups of youths enjoyed ‘Kapda-Fad Holi,’ tearing their shirts and throwing them towards overhead power lines. Muslims welcomed the procession by showering flower petals and greeting participants, reflecting the spirit of communal harmony.Cultural programmes representing different communities were presented along the road leading to the ghat. Various organisations and associations set up stalls from Chetna Crossing to the ghat. Folk artists performed traditional songs and dances, and recited Kajari and Alha.The procession passed through its traditional route via General Ganj, Mani Ram Bagia, Meston Road, Chowk, Kotwali Crossing, Kamla Tower, Pheelkhana, Birhana Road, and Nayaganj before reaching Rajjan Babu Park around 2 pm.The celebrations at the ghat began around 4pm with the arrival of district administration officials, public representatives, and citizens. The fair was inaugurated by the DM in the presence of mayor Pramila Pandey, MP Ramesh Awasthi, and other officials.At the ghat, members of the Sikh community distributed sharbat to visitors. Devotees also visited the riverbank and offered prayers to the Ganga for prosperity, good health, and communal harmony before returning home, bringing the city’s week-long Holi festivities to a close.
