The forest department has banned playing of Holi within Sonajhuri Haat area in Santiniketan, this year. The Visva-Bharati University (VBU) has already announced that this year it will not organise Vasanta Utsav officially.
Though tourists will be allowed to enter and move around in the Sonajhuri Haat and Khowai areas, Dol Utsav will not be allowed. The forest department said that a large number of vehicles are also parked during the Holi festival, but this year, both playing od Holi and parking of vehicles have been banned in the core area.
The Bolpur forest department said that due to tourists and locals playing colours many trees and plants are damaged as both dry and water colours are littered around. To save the environment in Sonajhuri Haat no Holi festival will be allowed.
Sonajhuri Haat is the most popular site in Santiniketan and hundreds of people visit throughout the year to purchase local handicrafts.
Since 2020, the Visva-Bharati University has not organised Vasant. Instead, it organises the Dol Jatra festival internally. Due to the global outbreak of Covid-19 Vasanta Utsav was organised in 2021 and 2022.