Holi celebrated with enthusiasm, three drown

Holi was celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout West Bengal today, with special programmes at Shantiniketan, the abode of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
People of all ages and background celebrated the festival, also known in Bengal as 'dolyatra', by smearing each other with gulal since morning in the city and the districts.
Bands of children were seen with plastic sprayers (pichkaris) frolicking on the neighbourhood streets while the elderly visited neighbours' houses with sweets in hand.
At Shantiniketan, thousands attended the main festival which was held at the 'Amrakunja' where songs of the Nobel Laureate poet were sung along with dance dramas and his poetries.

Tourists from different parts of the world attended the programme, which is a major attraction in Shantiniketan's annual calender of events.
A discordant note was struck in the peaceful holi celebration when three persons drowned in separate incidents in Howrah district while washing themselves in the pond after taking part in the revelry.
The incidents occurred at Bali, Howrah town and Jaipur in the district. The victims were aged between 29 and 35.