Mumbaikars were seen covering themselves and seeking shade to escape the scorching heat as daytime temperatures hovered around 32 degrees Celsius in South Mumbai on March 17, 2026. (Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi)

Mumbai residents gathered on Monday to perform the Holika Dahan rituals during the auspicious muhurat. The ceremony, which precedes Holi, symbolises the triumph of good over evil and commemorates the legend of Prahlada and Holika. PHOTOS/ATUL KAMBLE and ASHISH RAJE