Shahjahanpur, 04 March (HS): The

customary 'Lat Sahab' parade here on Holi was staged under heavy security on

Wednesday, with revelers singing slogans and symbolically hitting 'Lat Sahab'

with shoes as part of customs. This procession in Shahjahanpur is a

centuries-old Holi ritual in which a man dressed as a figure of authority, a

colonial-era British officer ('Lat Sahab'), is carried around town on a bullock

cart as revellers sing slogans and hit him with their shoes in a symbolic act of

mischief. The one-of-a-kind ritual, steeped in local history and community

engagement, is carried out under official supervision and is described as a mix

of satire, celebration, and heritage.

This year's procession began at the Phoolmati Devi temple, where the Lat Sahab

gave prayers before proceeding to the Kotwali police station, where he received

a ceremonial salute.It

then proceeded through significant parts of town before spanning an 8-kilometer

route that ended at the shrine, according to authorities. A similar 'Chhote' Lat Sahab march took place

smoothly, they noted. According to organizers, Lat Sahab was sat in a chair on

a platform erected on a bullock cart and wearing a helmet, while police and PAC

men surrounded him.

According to District Magistrate Dharmendra Pratap Singh, 48 mosques and

mausoleums along the path were covered with plastic sheets, while 148 nearby

alleys were shut to avoid crowd rushes. The event was separated into seven

zones, with 136 magistrates present to supervise.

According

to Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi, four additional superintendents, 13

circle officers, 310 sub-inspectors, 1,200 constables, 500 home guards, four

companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force, and a

National Disaster Response Force team have been deployed. A total of 100

solar-powered CCTV cameras were put throughout the route. According to

officials, both the 'Bade' and 'Chhote' Lat Sahab processions ended smoothly,

with previous peace committee meetings credited with maintaining community

harmony.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi