Around 100-150 people took part in the 'Masanae Ki Holi' festivities on Saturday. (Express Photo)Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat marked a muted ‘Masane ki Holi’ this year, with festivities taking place amid heavy police deployment at the ghat and roads leading to it. The festival, in which ashes from funeral pyres are used instead of colours and sees large crowds, saw just 100-150 taking part on Saturday.Earlier this week, the tradition had run into controversy with calls for either banning it altogether on the grounds that it is not “sanctioned by the scriptures” or limiting the festivities to the premises of the Baba Mashan Nath temple as it creates problems for mourners. The ongoing renovation work at the ghat was also cited as a reason.Prominent opposition had come from the descendants of the Dom Raja, members of the Dom community traditionally entrusted with performing cremation rites at the ghats.On Saturday, celebrations began with devotees gathering at the Baba Mashan Nath Mandir where special prayers and rituals were performed. Entry to the ghat was regulated and only those with a specific reason to visit were allowed access.Vishwanath Chaudhary, a descendant of the Dom Raja family of Kashi, said Masan Holi was celebrated more peacefully this year compared to previous years. Barring a few persons, only those carrying bodies for last rites were allowed to access the ghat.He was among those who had opposed the festival.“I thank the administration and police for taking my request into consideration. In previous years, heavy crowds created a nuisance and tarnished the reputation of Manikarnika Ghat,” Chaudhary said.Assistant Superintendent of Police, Varanasi, Atul Anjaan Tripathi, said several rounds of meetings were held with the Masan Holi organiser committee prior to the event and security arrangements were made in accordance with the committee’s decisions. He added that the committee had agreed to confine the Holi celebrations to within the temple premises.Story continues below this adNo one was allowed to play Holi at the cremation site and an adequate police force was deployed there to enforce the restriction. Cremations were done peacefully, Tripathi added.Gulshan Kapoor, one of the organisers of Masaan ki Holi and administrator of the Baba Mashan Nath Temple, was heard saying in a video circulating on social media stating that the festival was celebrated in accordance with tradition and with due reverence.He said due to ongoing construction work and limited space at the ghat, only a restricted number of people were allowed to participate.Earlier, Vishwanath Chaudhary had said the festivities caused hardship to mourners. “Grieving families were forced to wait five to 10 hours amid the resulting chaos. Revellers often consume alcohol and create a ruckus,” Chaudhary had claimed, adding that he had written to the Varanasi Police and administration seeking a ban on the celebration at the cremation ground.Story continues below this adMembers of the Kashi Vidvat Parishad — a body of Sanskrit scholars and experts in Hindu scriptures — had also said celebrating Holi in a shamshan (cremation ground) goes against the established norms of Hindu religion. They also contended that the “event” has been organised only in recent years under the guise of an ancient custom.Kapoor, however, had claimed objections to the event are being raised merely for publicity. “This is an ancient tradition that has gained wider attention due to social media, with people now coming to participate after learning about it,” he had said.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:HoliVaranasi