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Kapdafaad Holi: Boisterous crowds, blaring music, invincible spirit
Kapdafaad Holi at Loknath in the Chowk area of Prayagraj saw revellers being hosed with coloured water from the upper floors of buildings.
A day after Holi celebrations, Sangam city celebrated its own unique form of the festival, Kapdafaad Holi, on Thursday.
Vying for a place with the likes of Lathmaar Holi of Barsana village of Mathura, Kapdafaad Holi is celebrated in Prayagraj with equal, if not more fervour. Kapdafaad Holi literally translates to ‘Tear the clothes Holi’ just as Lathmaar Holi means celebration of Holi by raining blows with Lathis or batons.
Kapdafaad Holi at Loknath in the Chowk area of Prayagraj saw revellers being hosed with coloured water from the upper floors of buildings. Within a short time, clothes torn from bodies were flying around and some of them got stuck on lampposts and power lines.
Revellers gathered in thousands in old localities of the city like Chowk, Rani Mandi and Lokhnath to play and witness Kapdafaad Holi. Dancing to high-decibel Bollywood Holi numbers, the revellers tossed their clothes with abandon. Most men were found bare-chested by the end of the melee.
Huge sprinklers were installed at various locations and added to the fun by spraying coloured water. Drenched in coloured water, the revellers even tried to entice passers-by to join in the fun which continued till late afternoon.
Some men came attired in women’s clothing such as lehenga and salwar kameez. Some of them sported colourful wigs to add to the fun. Women and children watched the fun from the terraces. Some of them also threw buckets full of water on the revellers from above.
Policemen were deputed to keep an eye on the revellers to prevent any untoward incident. They remained silent spectators and enjoyed the spectacle while ensuring that the celebrations did not end up in an unpleasant incident.
Speaking of Kapdafaad Holi, Sanjay Singh, a resident of Malaviya Nagar, recounted how thousands of local people have participated in this unique celebration year after year for decades.
“The actual Holi celebration takes place in Prayagraj on the second day of the main festival. On the main festival day most people, especially traders, are very tired to participate in the festival. Therefore, the main fun takes place on the second day,” he shared.
Anil Kesarwani, another resident of Chowk said that he has been taking part in these celebrations for over 20 years now. “It’s a tradition that embraces celebrating with gay abandon. Friends and neighbours dance, play with colours in a mass celebration, the likes of which are not seen anywhere else,” he claimed.
