KATHMANDU:- The Holi festival is being celebrated with much fanfare in the Tarai districts today. The festival was marked in mountainous and hilly districts on Monday. 

The festival is being celebrated in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Purba), Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Paschim), Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Udayapur, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Rupandehi, Kapilbastu, Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts.

This festival is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the month of Fagun in the Lunar Calendar.

The Holi festival is being celebrated as an ancient tradition which brings a message of mutual harmony and goodwill with the arrival of spring. People smear colours and splash coloured water to one another in course of celebrating this festival. People gather around the major thoroughfares dancing and singing.

As per legend, the festival is also celebrated as a victory of truth over falsehood, with people of all ages, caste and creed joining the celebration. The government has been giving a public holiday on the occasion of this festival.  (RSS)