Holi travel has filled Ranchi railway and bus stations as residents return to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and the Ranchi railway division has launched special trains to ease the rush, Ranchi railway division's CPRO, Shuchi Singh, said.
Singh said the 02877 Ranchi-Anand Vihar special train left Ranchi on Feb 28 and the next run will depart on March 7, and that the 02878 Anand Vihar-Ranchi special train left Delhi on March 1 with its next run on March 8.
The 02832 Bhubaneswar-Dhanbad Holi special began operations on Feb 28 and will run until March 31, and IRCTC's official website showed heavy waiting lists on outbound Ranchi services, with the 12366 Ranchi-Patna Janshatabdi Express at 81, the 22350 Ranchi-Patna Vande Bharat Express at 40, and the 18624 Hatia-Islampur Express at 94.
Many travellers said they planned ahead while last-minute passengers struggled for seats, and Sumit Kumar, an e-rickshaw driver from Gaya, said he can afford to go home only once or twice a year during festivals and he is not sure whether he will make it home in time.
Road travel has surged too, with long queues reported at city bus terminals and high footfall for inter-state services bound for Patna, Gaya, Varanasi and Prayagraj, and travel agent Mustaq Alam said every year there is a heavy rush from workers returning to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Thandai Demand And Regional Traditions
Thandai sales have also spiked as Holi approaches, and vendors in Varanasi trace the drink's connection to Lord Shiva and to local customs, with Rang Bhari Ekadashi on Feb 28 marking early festivities, Narendra Kesri of Badal Thandai said.
Kesri, who runs over 70-year-old Badal Thandai and represents the fifth generation, said their peak season runs from Basant Panchami to Shivratri and until Holi, and that they use kesar, cashews, almonds, thick malai and a house blend of masalas, with a popular bhang variant.
Akshay Sarin of Baba Thandai said his grandfather Amar Nath Sarin started the shop in 1950 and he now represents the third generation, and he described their Kesar Pista Badam made with pure milk, cashew, pistachio, almond, saffron and cardamom.
In Lucknow, Raja Thandai has served Holi since 1936, founded by Pt. Shiva Dhar and now run by Raj Kumar Tripathi, and the shop draws patrons from across the country, including actors and top politicians such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The Lucknow shop's most sought-after drink is the hari wali bhang-infused thandai, prepared with full-fat milk, fennel, cardamom, white pepper, saffron, a mix of five seeds, rose water, sugar and generous dry fruits.
Food historian Anoothi Vishal said thandai's ingredients have cooling properties valued in Ayurveda, and at ISKCON Temple Dwarka, Keshavpriya Devi Dasi said Govinda's Kitchen will offer 108 thandai variations from sugar-free and dates and oats recipes to fruity, chocolate and aromatic infusions.
