MUMBAI: The festival of Holi coming up on March 10 could be a damp affair due to efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Certain prominent clubs have cancelled celebrations while housing societies are encouraging members to take precautions.
Cricket Club of India (CCI), Churchgate, and NSCI, Worli, have announced they will not organize Dhuleti or colour festivities. CCI has called off its ensuing members’ night and five-day yoga camp too. Access to the swimming pool is restricted.
NSCI had already sold 800 passes whose cost will be refunded to buyers. It had requisitioned two DJs, lined up a rain dance and lavish meal with competitions and prizes, all of which stand cancelled. “Around 5,000 people attend our Holi programme which is one of the biggest events of our club. Our committee felt it is better to be safe since playing with colours and water or shaking hands can raise chances of infection. These measures have been taken to avoid crowd gathering and for safety,” said committee member Viren Shah.
Yet another prominent party at MMRDA Grounds, Bandra, will go ahead as tickets have been sold. Celebration Club, Lokhandwala, has outsourced its Holi programme "where there will not be any pichkaris, just dry organic colour,” said spokesman Hemant Nair.
Neptune housing society in Thakur Village, Kandivli, will keep up its 14-year tradition of Holi festivity. “Albeit, we are doing our best to stave off the threat of infection. We have kept hand sanitizer for use in our lobby. Also, we have put up a notice asking residents to take precautions by using masks. I had ordered 100 masks but the chemists are out of stock. Still, we will go ahead with the gathering by asking residents to procure masks themselves. How can we order people to stop celebrating Holi?” said chairman Rahul Tangri.
Meanwhile, sale of Chinese pichkaris has dropped to a trickle as people are avoiding Made in China goods. At APMC Vashi, sales are doown to barely 15% of previous years. A dealer at Abdul Rehman Street said he was making do with last year’s leftover stock of pichkaris.
Cricket Club of India (CCI), Churchgate, and NSCI, Worli, have announced they will not organize Dhuleti or colour festivities. CCI has called off its ensuing members’ night and five-day yoga camp too. Access to the swimming pool is restricted.
NSCI had already sold 800 passes whose cost will be refunded to buyers. It had requisitioned two DJs, lined up a rain dance and lavish meal with competitions and prizes, all of which stand cancelled. “Around 5,000 people attend our Holi programme which is one of the biggest events of our club. Our committee felt it is better to be safe since playing with colours and water or shaking hands can raise chances of infection. These measures have been taken to avoid crowd gathering and for safety,” said committee member Viren Shah.
Yet another prominent party at MMRDA Grounds, Bandra, will go ahead as tickets have been sold. Celebration Club, Lokhandwala, has outsourced its Holi programme "where there will not be any pichkaris, just dry organic colour,” said spokesman Hemant Nair.
Neptune housing society in Thakur Village, Kandivli, will keep up its 14-year tradition of Holi festivity. “Albeit, we are doing our best to stave off the threat of infection. We have kept hand sanitizer for use in our lobby. Also, we have put up a notice asking residents to take precautions by using masks. I had ordered 100 masks but the chemists are out of stock. Still, we will go ahead with the gathering by asking residents to procure masks themselves. How can we order people to stop celebrating Holi?” said chairman Rahul Tangri.
Meanwhile, sale of Chinese pichkaris has dropped to a trickle as people are avoiding Made in China goods. At APMC Vashi, sales are doown to barely 15% of previous years. A dealer at Abdul Rehman Street said he was making do with last year’s leftover stock of pichkaris.
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