On March 11, Tuesday, a unique ritual of playing Holi with ashes from funeral pyres will take place at Manikarnika 
Ghat. This information was shared by Gulshan Kapoor, the manager of Baba Mahashmashan Nath Temple, during a press conference held in the building. It is believed in Varanasi that on the auspicious occasion of Rangbhari Ekadashi, Baba Vishwanath and Mata Parvati return to their abode in Kashi after their wedding. Locals celebrate this event as a festival.
During this festival, deities, celestial beings, humans, and other divine entities participate. However, ghosts, spirits, demons, and kinners are prevented by Baba himself from mingling among humans. Baba plays Holi with ashes from the funeral pyres along with these invisible forces after taking a noon bath in the Manikarnika Tirth. Gulshan Kapoor mentioned that this celebration occurs amidst burning pyres at Manikarnika Ghat. Pandit Vijay Shankar Pandey, Sanjay Prasad Gupta, Karn Jayaswal, Deepak Tiwari, and Hansraj Chaurasiya were present.
“Public should not come to the funeral Holi: Trust”
Officials of the World Vedic Sanatan Trust presented a memorandum to DM S. Rajlingam and Police Commissioner Mohit Agrawal on Tuesday. They said that the ritual of playing Holi with funeral pyre ashes is only for Aghoris, Naga Sadhus, and Kinners. Some people are misleading youth by turning it into an event. Santosh Singh, Ashwini Tripathi, Anil Mishra, Rajeshwar Shukla, Vikash, and Pankaj presented the memorandum.
