Prime Minister Narendra Modi will rub shoulders with Angry Birds and Doraemon in Patna this Holi, while a section of residents are zeroing in on short trips thanks to the festival of colours.
Tour travel operators said Lathmar Holi in Barsana (Uttar Pradesh) is topping the charts as the favourite Holi destination. For short trips of two-seven days, coastal areas and hill stations are also high up on the checklist.
Business is good for them as well as shopkeepers stocking up on gulal and pichkaris.
Trending in the Patna markets are packets of gulal with the Prime Minister's face printed on top and Modi pichkaris. Fans of the Prime Minister - young and old - are excited to celebrate Holi with him, almost. One of them is five-year-old Apeksha.
Mount Carmel student and New Punaichak resident Apeksha is a big fan of Modi. She said: 'I am looking for a packet of Modi gulal and pichkari. I love the way he interacts with people.'
The Modi pichkaris are the new entry this year and are available at almost every shop for Rs 400. Dheeraj, a shopkeeper at Churi Market, has them as well as eco-friendly gulal. He also has Angry Birds and Doraemon pichkaris.
If the shopkeepers are meeting the residents' demand, the travel agents are offering the people the best packages on offer.
Per-night charges for staying at a three-star hotel in Barsana, Vrindavan or Mathura - in the Braj region - are varying from Rs 4,000-Rs 7,500. 'Many people, mostly professionals, prefer to go on vacations during Holi. The traditional Holi celebrations in Barsana, Vrindavan and Mathura are quite popular. So, we get several bookings for these destinations at this time,' said Upendra Nath Mishra, the chief executive officer of Jatak Travels.
According to myth, the carnival-like festivities began with Krishna smearing his beloved Radha with colours. Following the tradition, men and women of Nandgaon and Barsana villages, not too far from Vrindavan, play Lathmar Holi. The women of Nandgaon, the home of Krishna, beat the men from Barsana, the legendary domicile of Radha, with wooden sticks in response to their teasing.
'Few packages of Vrindavan and Mathura cover Agra, Delhi and Rajasthan as well. Many people take the comprehensive packages too,' said Naresh Arora, the co-proprietor of Sewak Tour and Travels.
For those not wishing to go out of the state, Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation is at their service. 'The tourism corporation can design tour packages for groups based on their choices of specific locations such as Bodhgaya, Nalanda, Rajgir and the Valmiki Tiger Reserve. The package would include accommodation charges, food and local sightseeing. These packages are good especially for those who do not have much time and want to return in two-three days,' said a senior BSTDC official.
Apart from domestic destinations, residents have booked tourist hot spots in the southeast Asian countries. 'We are sending a few people from the city to Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong over the next few days. The bookings were made several months ago,' said another tour operator in the city.
