NEW DELHI: The West Bengal government has banned Holi celebrations at Sonajhuri Haat in Santiniketan’s Birbhum district this year, citing concerns over potential damage to the area’s greenery, an official said on Wednesday. The popular marketplace is located near Visva Bharati University‘s Santiniketan campus, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Bolpur Divisional Forest Officer Rahul Kumar stated that banners have been placed in the area, urging visitors—many of whom include domestic and foreign tourists—not to park vehicles or celebrate Holi there. Additionally, they have been asked not to record videos of the festivities.
“The department will seek support from the police and administration to enforce the ban but will also leave it to people for the better sense to prevail,” Kumar told PTI.
A Visva Bharati spokesperson emphasised that the university cannot allow the campus to be open to the public for Holi due to its UNESCO heritage status.
Regarding the restriction on celebrating the festival in Sonajhuri’s forested area, the DFO clarified, “We are not issuing any diktat, and people in large groups will be prevented from walking to the Sonajhuri Khowai belt on March 14—the day of Dol Yatra.”
Highlighting the environmental impact, he added, “What we want to avert is the assembling of thousands of people during the festival of colours in an area where there is a green cover. The sprinkling of coloured water may cause irreparable damage to trees. Let us take the pledge to save Sonajhuri from any ecological damage on March 14.”
This marks the first time the forest department has imposed such a restriction at Sonajhuri Haat, which became a major attraction for Holi celebrations after Visva Bharati halted public participation in ‘Basanto Utsav’ (spring festival) in 2019.
“We are not opening the varsity campus (to all) for the ‘Basanto Utsav’ because of the UNESCO World Heritage status,” the Visva Bharati spokesperson reiterated.
“Opening it up for all would mean accommodating more than 5,00,000 people within the ashrama, which Visva Bharati cannot manage in terms of infrastructure and logistics,” he explained.
‘There will arrests if someone does something’
Reacting to the reported ban, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged political motives behind the move. “This has not happened in just one area. Police conduct coordination programs at the time of programs of other communities. We saw this happening during CPI(M) and TMC regimes. But in 2025, for the first time, meetings were held at every Police Station for Holi. What was the issue in the meeting, this is a special month for the other community and this time Holi is falling on a Friday. So, it was openly said that colours should not be used and Holi should be celebrated.
“There will be arrests if someone does something. Birbhum Additional SP said that by 10 am, the Holi celebrations in Santiniketan should be wrapped up because it is Friday…This is happening in Bengal for the first time…Mamata Banerjee’s Police administration is doing politics of divides, it is doing politics of appeasement,” he said.
