Guwahati, March 4, 2026: Holi, the festival of colours, is being celebrated across Northeast India today with diverse cultural expressions reflecting the region’s rich traditions. The spring festival symbolises the triumph of good over evil and promotes harmony, fraternity and renewal within communities.
In Manipur, the festival is celebrated as Yaoshang, a five-day observance from March 3 to 7, coinciding with the full moon of the month of Lamta. The celebrations begin with Yaoshang Mei Thaba, the ceremonial burning of a bamboo and hay hut, symbolising the removal of evil and the arrival of prosperity.
Children and youth participate in nakatheng, going door-to-door collecting small donations to organise community activities. One of the most distinctive elements of Yaoshang is Thabal Chongba, a traditional moonlight dance in which young men and women form circles and dance to the rhythm of drums and folk music.
Religious observances also form part of the festival, with devotional singing and sankirtana performed in Krishna temples such as Shree Govindajee Temple in Imphal. Sporting events, including football, tug-of-war and Yubi Lakpi, a traditional Manipuri game resembling rugby, are organised to engage youth and strengthen community participation.
In Tripura, residents in Agartala celebrated Dol Purnima or Basanta Utsav, associated with the worship of Radha and Krishna and marking the arrival of spring. Devotees gathered at Maharajganja Bazaar for prayers and rituals, while a cultural programme at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan featured songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore, reflecting the Santiniketan-style celebration of spring.
In Assam, the state government declared a local holiday in Kamrup (Metro) district, including Guwahati, in observance of Dol Jatra, allowing residents to participate in the festival. Government offices, educational institutions and financial establishments remained closed across the district.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army’s Red Shield Gunners, under the aegis of Spear Corps, celebrated Holi with children at the Nava Rupantar orphanage in Tinsukia, Assam. Soldiers joined the children in playing with colours, distributing sweets and spending time interacting with them, spreading the spirit of joy, hope and togetherness.
Extending greetings on the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu said Holi is a festival of joy that conveys the message of social harmony and strengthens the spirit of unity in diversity.
Nagaland Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla said the vibrant colours of Holi remind people of the beauty of diversity and the importance of strengthening bonds of friendship among communities. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also conveyed greetings, expressing hope that the festival would bring peace, happiness and renewed goodwill among the people.
Across the country, people marked the occasion by smearing colours, exchanging greetings and sharing traditional sweets. In Delhi, celebrations were visible across residential colonies and public spaces, while metro services remained suspended until 2:30 pm before resuming normal operations later in the day.