Bhopal, Mar 24: Holi, the Festival of Colours is a special occasion for everyone since the festival is revered much according to Hindu traditions. Festival of Holi is celebrated with great pomp and show, enthusiasm and fervour throughout India. Therefore, everyone eagerly waits for the occasion throughout the year and misses no opportunity to celebrate it in great sytle when the festival arrives. But the happiness and joy of Holi increases manifold when the festival is flanked by holidays on either sides. The same happened this year also since people had the opportunity of three consecutive holidays. This helped everyone to drench himself in the colours of Holi to the hilt. Especially happy were officers and employees.

Holi is a festival for which everyone waits anxiously. Irrespective of age groups, people leave no stone unturned to celebrate this joyous festival to the hilt. Holi, the festival of colours, is also characterised by laughter, fun and mischief. No body wants to miss out on these moments of enjoyment. Holi, the Festival of Colours is a special occasion for everyone since the festival is revered much according to Hindu traditions. Festival of Holi is celebrated with great pomp and show, enthusiasm and fervour throughout India. Therefore, everyone eagerly waits for the occasion throughout the year and misses no opportunity to celebrate it in great sytle when the festival arrives. But the happiness and joy of Holi increases manifold when the festival is flanked by holidays on either sides. The same happened this year also since people had the opportunity of three consecutive holidays. This helped everyone to drench himself in the colours of Holi to the hilt. Especially happy were officers and employees. Bhopal Today Team interviewed some officers and employees of the city to know about their how they enjoyed Holi during the three-day layoff.

What they say

My joy and happiness knew no bounds as I enjoyed Festival of Colours to the hilt. It could be possible because I and my fellow government employees this time got consecutive holidays running into three days. I have ample time and opportunity to roam about with family members. I had enough time to attend the visitors. The enjoyment was so overwhelming that the three-day holiday passed without notice.

* Satya Prakash Pandeh, District President, Employees' Congress

This time the festival passed off in much better and pleasant way due to three-day consecutive holiday. In my lifetime, I did not get so much time to celebrate the festival and stay among the family members. Naturally, I played Holi to the hilt and had enough time to exchange thoughts with the visitors.

* Bharat Singh Thakur, Patron, Jan Swasth Rakshak Sangathan, Madhya Pradesh

Indeed, it was a great period of time in my lifetime when we got three days' consecutive holidays on the occasion of Holi. Therefore, I enjoyed the festival with my family members and friends with great fun and frolic. The holidays gave me time to take rest and recoup myself for resuming the duty with vigour and fervour.

* Ashok Maske, Secretary, State Employees' Congress

Holi a special festival. It becomes doubly special when consecutive holidays coincide with the festival. The joy and happiness of Holi this year increased manifold due to the consecutive three-day holidays. This provided me and family members to leave no stone unturned in making it as the most memorable occasion of our lives. I and my friends enjoyed the Holi to the hilt by drenching each other with many colours and Gulal.

* Virendra Khongal, employees leader

Generally, it is quite difficult to take leave from office for even a couple of days for celebrating Holi. But this time, God provided us this golden opportunity of three days' consecutive holidays viz Good Friday and Id Milad-un-Nabi on Friday, Holi and Saturday followed by Sunday. It was a pleasant experience when Holi was preceded and followed by holidays. This three-day layoff not only provided us the chance to celebrate the festival with fervour and enthusiasm but also enabled me to complete some pending household works.

* Ram Niwas Sharma, employee, Public Works Department.