Guwahati, March 5: The congregation at xatras, the Vaishnavite monasteries, to rain dance to DJ shows on the banks of the Brahmaputra here - variety marked the festival of colours in Assam.

Since morning, hundreds thronged the xatras in Bordowa in Nagaon district, about 150km from here, including the over 550-year-old Barpeta Xatra, and smeared colours on each other and exchanged greetings. 'For ages, xatras have been special for us during fakua (Holi). We not only celebrate the day with others around us but also use it to bond with each other,' said 60-year-old Baikuntha Talukdar, a resident of Barpeta, about 100km from here in Lower Assam.

The five-day-long Holi celebrations at Barptea Xatra began yesterday with thousands from across the state visiting its premises. 'I was born in Barpeta and have been living in Guwahati since my marriage but I make it a point to visit Barpeta to celebrate Holi at the Barpeta Xatra every year. It has special place in our hearts,' said Konika Medhi, a housewife. She, along with her husband and three sons, will spend the five days in Barpeta.

Borduwa, the revered birthplace of 16th century Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Xankardeb, similarly witnessed a large congregation of devotees. Hundreds took ferries over the Brahmaputra here to celebrate the festival of colours in Doul Gobindo, the famous temple situated on the foothills of Chandrabharati hills at Rajaduar in North Guwahati.

If the xatras in Majuli, the river island, cultural town Tezpur or Doul Gobindo in North Guwahati attracted large crowds, young boys and girls danced to the tunes played by DJs on the banks of the Brahmaputra here at Machkhowa. The peppy music mixed with rain dance and colour turned the river bank into a sea of humanity. 'It is a day of celebration and what better place it can be than the banks of the mighty river Brahmaputra,' said Priyanka Jain, a student, her face smeared with colours.

Friends Club, a prominent club at Fancy Bazar, the Northeast's business hub here, is using the Holi celebration to promote awareness about Swach Bharat Mission. The club put up banners and posters in the business hub appealing to people to keep their surroundings clean and join the countrywide cleanliness mission. The club is organising a Holi rain dance programme tomorrow at Fancy Bazaar from 10.30am. 'Since the festival attracts thousands, we decided to use this as a platform to promote awareness about Swach Bharat Abhiyan,' said Vivek Sanganeria, one of the members of the club.