COVID-19: Maharashtra issues Holi, Good Friday, Easter guidelines

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People should celebrate Holi in a simple manner considering the rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and crowding should be avoided, the state government said on Friday. Holi will be celebrated on March 28 and Rang Panchami falls a day later.

"The festival should be celebrated in a simple manner, observing social distancing norms and without coming together in any way given the increasing spread of COVID-19. Rang Panchami too should be celebrated in a simple manner," the government said in a statement.

Noting that the state's Konkan region has a tradition of carrying a ''palkhi'' or palanquin in a procession on Holi, the state government said this should be confined to temples and asked the local administration to do the needful.

"No big religious or cultural programmes should be organised on the day of Holi and Rang Panchami," the government added.

The state government also urged the Christian community to observe Good Friday (on April 2) and celebrate Easter Sunday (on April 4) in a simple manner in view of the spread of the disease.

The government said, if a church is spacious, maximum of 50 persons should attend the prayer meet there during the holy week from March 28 to April 4. If the church is smaller in size, then a special prayer meet should be held in the presence of 10-25 persons, and four to five special masses may be organised depending on the need, it said.

It said adherence to COVID-19 protocols, including wearing masks, using hand sanitisers etc, must be ensured, adding that efforts must also be made to broadcast prayer meets online.

"No religious programme that can attract crowd in any way should be organised. Besides, procession should not be taken out," the statement said.

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