Black Goggles To Camel Rides: How UP's Political Bigwigs Celebrated Holi This Year

Last Updated:March 05, 2026, 13:52 IST

At the centre of the celebrations was Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who displayed his trademark blend of religiosity and assertive messaging in Gorakhpur.

Uttar Pradesh’s political corridors turned into a vibrant canvas of colour, music and symbolism as leaders across party lines stepped out to celebrate Holi in distinctive styles, blending festivity with political messaging.

Yogi Adityanath leads celebrations in Gorakhpur

At the centre of the celebrations was Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who displayed his trademark blend of religiosity and assertive messaging in Gorakhpur. Wearing black goggles and saffron attire, the Chief Minister played Holi amid chants and drumbeats, creating a striking visual that quickly became one of the defining images of the festival in the state’s political landscape.

At the Gorakhnath temple premises, Yogi fed jaggery to cows and applied gulal to them, reinforcing his cultural messaging. Addressing gatherings during the traditional procession of Lord Narasimha, he said, “There is no fear, no anarchy, no distrust anywhere in the state. The spirit of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and ‘Yato Dharmastato Jayah’ resonates everywhere."

He linked Holika Dahan to the symbolic burning of ego, corruption, appeasement politics, terrorism and disorder. Referring to Narasimha as an important avatar of Lord Vishnu, he said devotion and discipline were essential virtues in nation-building. He also invoked the ongoing “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat" vision and heritage revival under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the Mahakal corridor as examples of cultural resurgence.

Adding a lighter note, Yogi remarked that next year, when Gorakhpur’s heritage corridor becomes fully operational with a 10-metre-wide stretch, even MP Ravi Kishan would be seen dancing freely there. Ravi Kishan himself applied gulal to volunteers and sang traditional Phagua songs during the celebrations.

Camel ride and cowboy hat in Lucknow

In Lucknow, both Deputy Chief Ministers added theatrical flair to the festivities.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak was seen riding a camel in the old city’s Chowk area. Armed with a water gun, he sprayed colours on supporters while waving energetically. At one point, he theatrically carried a mace and used a cylinder device to blow gulal into the air, creating a dramatic spectacle that drew cheering crowds.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya celebrated Holi at his official residence, 7 Kalidas Marg, greeting party workers, legislators and media persons. Sporting a cowboy hat and holding a traditional hunter whip for effect, Maurya sang “Holi Khele Raghuveera" and mingled freely with supporters as colours filled the air.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma also joined the festivities in Lucknow, engaging in playful exchanges of colour with party colleagues.

Opposition leaders join festivities

The political celebrations were not confined to the BJP camp. Samajwadi Party chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav celebrated Holi with party workers and supporters in Lucknow. Known for his relatively understated yet warm interactions during festivals, Akhilesh applied gulal to supporters and extended greetings while emphasising social harmony and unity.

SP leaders shared visuals of him interacting with cadres in a relaxed atmosphere, reinforcing the party’s outreach narrative ahead of upcoming electoral battles.

District celebrations add local flavour

Across districts, political figures added their own local touch to the celebrations. In Gonda, former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh sat on the ground singing traditional Holi songs, while his MLA son Prateek Bhushan Singh played Holi with family members.

In Ballia, Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh beat the dhol and manjira while joining celebratory processions.

In Mathura, District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh was seen pouring colour over officials with buckets. In Shahjahanpur, the traditional “Laat Saheb" procession moved through the streets, continuing the cultural legacy of symbolic mockery of colonial-era authority.

Holi spirit beyond politics

Beyond politics, Uttar Pradesh’s cities reflected Holi’s unifying spirit. In Varanasi, foreign tourists from over 20 countries, including Australia and Ireland, danced to DJ music and smeared colours along the ghats and narrow lanes. One Irish tourist said she had travelled specially to experience Holi in Kashi and described it as unforgettable.

In Ayodhya, Ram Lalla was offered a floral Holi, while Vrindavan witnessed massive crowds playing with gulal amid devotional songs.

Kanpur and Prayagraj saw the traditional “kapda phaad" Holi, where revellers tore each other’s clothes in symbolic abandon and hung the torn pieces on overhead wires — an old and boisterous local custom.

Political festival of colour

From black goggles in Gorakhpur to camel rides in Lucknow, from cowboy hats to devotional chants, Holi 2026 in Uttar Pradesh offered more than colours – it presented a vivid political tableau reflecting celebration, symbolism and public outreach.

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