Rahul Gandhi's Holi plan is bound to make you smile

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today left for Italy to "surprise" his maternal grandmother and spend the Holi weekend with her.

Announcing this on Twitter, he also extended Holi greetings to fellow citizens. "My Nani is 93. She's the kindest soul ever. This Holi weekend, I m going to surprise her! I can t wait to give her a hug..."Happy Holi to all of you. Have a joyful celebration," Gandhi wrote on the microblogging website. 

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today conveyed her greetings to fellow citizens on the eve of Holi and said the festival of colours reinforced the message of unity among all. "I extend my greetings to all my brothers and sisters. The colourful and vibrant festival of Holi reinforces the message of social harmony, unity and universal brotherhood among all," she said in a statement.

Holi held a special place in our cultural milieu and celebrated the different hues of India s diverse and multi-cultural mosaic, Mahajan said, while hoping that the festival would bring joy and happiness in the lives of people. The festival would be a harbinger of peace, progress and prosperity, she added.