The festival of colours, Holi, was celebrated on Monday with traditional fervour and gaiety across Jammu and Kashmir.

Members of Hindu community celebrated the festival by splashing colours on family members and friends. Muslims also visited their Hindu neighbors and greeted them. They also distributed sweets.

The shopkeepers in Maharaja Bazaar here, famous for selling festival celebration products, had announced rebate on such products.

Many security establishments in Kashmir had erected banners wishing people on the occasion. Holi is celebrated as beginning of spring and triumph of good over evil. The preceding evening is known as Holika Dahan, or Chhoti Holi.

Dr Amit Wanchoo, a Kashmiri Pandit said Holi was a message of universal brotherhood and equality among humans.

“Holi reminds us of the message that all human beings are equal and no discrimination can be made on the basis of caste or creed,” he said. He said most of the Hindu festivals fall a day before in Jammu and Kashmir against the celebrations being held in rest of country.

“Be it Shivratari, Jamnasti, or Holi, all these festivals are held a day earlier in Jammu and Kashmir than rest of country as we celebrate these festivals as per traditional Hindu calendar,” he said.

This festival is also called as the “festival of love” as on this day people get to unite together and forget all resentments.

In Jammu, several educational institutions celebrated the festival. The students came in colourful dresses and threw different dry colours on each other. Some of the schools also distributed stationery among needy students, reports said.

The markets also wore festive look while temples and residential houses were decorated.

Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu, top civil and Police officials extended their greetings to people of J&K on the occasion.