President extends Holy wishes

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 2: President Ramchandra Paudel has extended his best wishes for happiness, peace and prosperity to all Nepalis at home and abroad on the auspicious occasion of the special festival of Phagu Purnima (Holi).

In his message, President Paudel said that as the festival of colours is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm across the country every year, reflecting the many colours of spring. 

The Holi festival, which begins with the raising of the Chir decorated with various colourful fabrics, concludes with the burning of the Chir on the night of the full moon. Like the various colours played during Holi, Nepali society is also diverse in terms of ethnicity, language, and culture. This unity in diversity is the identity and beauty of Nepalis.

The President said, “Holi, celebrated joyfully as the victory of truth over falsehood, justice over injustice, virtue over vice, and righteousness over evil, is a tradition of renouncing enmity and sharing colours with relatives and friends, expressing goodwill, and celebrating with love and intimacy.”

He expressed his hope that the Holi festival would inspire people to eradicate various social distortions, anomalies, and harmful practices existing in society, preserve and promote the nation’s original culture, and strengthen mutual harmony in society.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav extended his best wishes for happiness, peace, prosperity, good health, and further progress to all Nepali living in the country and abroad.

“Although this festival, a symbol of colour and enthusiasm, is celebrated by different names in the Himalayas, hills and Tarai-Madhesh, its core spirit strengthens mutual harmony, brotherhood and reconciliation,” said VP Yadav. 

According to him, traditional Hori (Fagu) songs, folk songs sung to the beat of jogira, dampha and dholak, as well as special dishes like malpua, dalpuri, kheer, contribute to keeping our culture alive and passing it down from generation to generation. 

“It is our collective responsibility to preserve our culture by using natural and eco-friendly colours,” he said. 

Holi, the festival of colors, is being celebrated with great fanfare in the hilly and mountainous regions on Monday and in the Tarai districts on Tuesday.

On this day, people gather in public spaces or temple premises to play with colours. In some regions, traditional folk dances and other local cultural performances are also organized. Holi celebrations are community-oriented.

The District Administration Office of Kathmandu has imposed a ban on the use of clothes and textile materials bearing the symbols of candidates and political parties during the Holi festival to be celebrated on Monday.

The office has issued a notice requesting the general public to remain alert and celebrate the festival in a civilized, dignified, and entertaining manner.

Keeping in mind the security arrangements for the upcoming House of Representatives Election, 2026, Section 13 (Gha) of the Election Code of Conduct, 2082, states that a person participating in a rally, public meeting, or election campaign shall not wear or use any scarf, sticker, cloth, hat, cap, vest, T-shirt, jacket, shirt, gamchha, bag, mask, or other materials bearing the election symbol or flag of a party or candidate.

The DoA has requested that people celebrate the Holi festival with their relatives, family members, and friends within their respective home compounds in a religious and cultural manner without causing any disturbance to others.

Similarly, it has also requested the public not to engage in activities such as gathering in public places, organizing fairs or festivals, or carrying out other activities that violate the election code of conduct.

Keeping in mind the Election Code of Conduct, 2082, the Police Circle, Public Service, New Road, has informed everyone that no additional programmes related to Fagu Purnima (Holi) will be organized in the Basantapur area other than the traditional ones.

The Social Behaviour (Reform) Act and Regulations, 2033 BS, have systematized and regulated the celebration of religious, social, and cultural festivals.