Holi 2019: People hurled tomatoes at each other to celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad
Holi got a saucy twist in Ahmedabad, as a group of people bombarded each other with tomatoes, much like the Spanish festival of La Tomatina.
While color powder and water balloons are traditionally used to celebrate Holi, playing with raw eggs, paint or mud is not something unheard of. But those celebrating in Ahmedabad experimented further, moving on to the vegetable as their weapon of choice. People can be seen hurling tomatoes at each other, while some were forced to get down on the floor, which was covered in tomato skins, with the juice having been squeezed out.
The scenes were very similar to the La Tomatina festival, which has been held in the Spanish town of Bunol since 1945. The festival gained popularity in India after it featured in the movie "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara", which released in 2011. The Zoya Akhtar-directed movie starred Hritik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Katrina Kaif among others.
Hritik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Katrina Kaif are seen participating in the festival in the song "Ik Junoon (Paint It Red)".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind extended their greetings on the occasion. "The festival of joy and gaiety would strengthen the colour of unity and goodwill," PM Modi tweeted.
"On the occasion of the joyous festival of Holi, I convey my greetings to all fellow citizens in India and abroad," the President said in a statement. "This festival is a celebration of spring and of our sense of fraternity and mutual goodwill. May the confluence of colours bring positive energy to all our families and our shared society," he added.
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