Kathmandu, March 7 -- Holi festivities kicked off in Nepal on Friday with the ancient Chir tradition -sacred bamboo Chir was upraised at the Basantapur Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Kathmandu.

The Manandhars within the Newa community have been raising the Chir at Basantapur Durbar Square, which symbolises the arrival of Holi in the Himalayan Nation. This group is referred to as Dhaalasiko Manandhars, and their working committee is also called Sana: gu Khala.

This group of Manandhars, who has been given the identity of Dhaalasiko for residing near a Dhaale (Newari word for pomegranate) tree that was previously present in the area, gears up to work on bringing the Chir.

"It symbolises victory of truth over falsehood. The...