Colourless Holi in Indore’s Bhagirathpura:35 deaths from contaminated water leave homes grieving; families mourn lost spouses children

The festival of colours, Holi, brings with it a shower of joy each year, adding warmth to relationships and celebrating the vibrancy of life. However, this year Holi feels pale and colourless in Bhagirathpura in Indore. A quiet sadness hangs over its streets. The courtyards that once echoed with laughter now hold only silence, sobs and framed photographs. In Bhagirathpura, 35 people died after drinking contaminated water. For their families, this is the first Holi since the tragedy. The hands that once threw gulal are now offering flowers before photographs. When Dainik Bhaskar spoke to the affected families, their pain flowed through every word. Some lost their life partners suddenly, while others saw long-cherished wishes, like going on a pilgrimage, remain unfulfilled. One mother is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her six-month-old baby, Avyan. Read the report… Case 1: We were going to Sehore, but he left before that In the trembling voice of 80-year-old Jashoda Bai, who lives in a narrow lane of Bhagirathpura, the memory of that ill-fated morning still lingers — the morning that shattered her world. Her husband, Jeevan Singh, is no longer alive. His memories and their unfulfilled dream of a pilgrimage are now her only support. She says, “We were supposed to go to Sehore on the first. We had even arranged a vehicle. We were going to visit Kubereshwar Dham to see Pradeep Mishra ji. It was the beginning of the new year, and we had both thought of seeking God’s blessings. But fate had something else planned.” That night, Jeevan Singh’s health suddenly began to deteriorate. “He vomited just two or three times, but had severe diarrhoea. I kept changing his clothes throughout the night. We were alone at home; our son and daughter-in-law live separately.” All night she cared for her husband alone, hoping things would improve by morning. Around 7:15 am, when it was time to fetch water from the Narmada supply, she stepped out to fill water. But an uneasy feeling gripped her. After filling only half the container, she rushed back home to check on him. Though he was 80, he had no serious illness and remained active. “He was old, but still strong enough to walk around,” she says softly. At exactly 7:30 am, Jeevan Singh breathed his last. There is a cruel irony in what followed. The same Narmada water that claimed her husband’s life has stopped flowing into her house. Since that day, the tap has remained dry. Describing her helplessness, Jashoda Bai says, “Ever since he left, the tap has been closed. It has been two months and no water comes. Now we have to buy RO water to drink.” When asked about government assistance, she simply replies, “I got what you are telling me.” There are no questions in her eyes — only a deep disappointment that perhaps will never fade. Case 2: Gave up tea, Now I eat at the temple
In another house in the same area, Digambar Wadhe breaks down while looking at his wife Manjula Wadhe’s photo. Each of his tears tells the story of loneliness that has become part of his life after his wife’s passing. Digambar says, “I cannot forget her memory. She used to do everything for me. Now I have become completely alone.” The effect of his wife’s passing has had such a deep impact on his life that he stopped drinking even his favorite thing, tea. He says, “Earlier she used to make and serve it. Now he has to make tea with his own hands. That’s why I do not drink tea anymore. Cooking food is very difficult. She used to cook very well.” Now he goes to the Sai Baba temple to eat one meal and has arranged a tiffin for the evening. He has five daughters but no son. His daughters are his support. They never let him stay alone. Even today they invite him to stay with them, but everyone has their own home and family. His daily routine is also different. He wakes up at three in the morning and remembers God. Health deteriorated on 29th, died while being taken to hospital Recalling that last night, Digambar Wadhe says – Manjula’s health suddenly deteriorated at 11 PM on December 29. My daughter from Aurangabad had come here on the 28th. Until 10:30 PM on the 29th, she kept talking to everyone on phone, asking how are you, have you reached. Immediately after this, the cycle of vomiting and diarrhea that started didn’t stop. The diarrhea was so severe that I became worried. Couldn’t call anyone for help at night. I washed her clothes, managed everything. When I went out for help in the morning, the municipal corporation team was conducting a survey in the street. Upon seeing her, the doctors immediately said that her condition is very serious, take her to MY Hospital right away. Manjula was taken to the hospital by ambulance, but perhaps it was too late by then. She had vomiting and diarrhea again and passed away on the way. Digambar’s voice chokes up. Upon reaching Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MY Hospital), doctors performed ECG twice. Then they said – “Baba, she is gone now.” When he asked for his wife’s body, they mentioned the need for a postmortem. Digambar did not want any interference with his wife’s body. But the hospital staff said that they need to determine whether the death was caused by water or due to some other reason. Case 3: Mother said – His horoscope had Rajyog written in it The most painful chapter of this entire tragedy is Avyan’s story — a six-month-old innocent child whose laughter now survives only as an echo in his mother Sadhana’s ears. Two months have passed, yet the image of her son never leaves Sadhana’s eyes even for a moment. There is deep exhaustion in her voice. She says, “Since my child passed away, my health has not been good. I remain unwell most of the time.” Named after Lord Ganesha Avyan’s name was not chosen without thought. It carried the wish of a sister and the dreams of his parents. Sadhana explains, “My daughter Kinjal studies in Class 5. She often used to say that everyone has a brother to tie rakhi to, and she wished she had one too. I had decided a year earlier that if I had a son, I would name him Avyan. It is one of the names of Lord Ganesha — the remover of obstacles. The whole family agreed on the name, and Avyan’s horoscope was also prepared.” Remembering him, Sadhana says, “The astrologer had predicted very good things. His horoscope mentioned a 27-day Mool period and Rajyog. There was no indication of a short life or anything like that. It was written that his future would be bright, that he would become an exceptional person whom others would listen to. During my pregnancy, I only read and watched positive things.” Fight for justice and facing rumours Despite her unbearable grief, Sadhana has not lost courage. She is fighting for justice for her son and the other victims. Today, she is making rounds of commissions and courts with documents related to the same son for whom she once dreamt of a bright and cultured future. During this process, she has also had to deal with rumours. When Rahul Gandhi visited Indore, rumours spread that Sadhana’s family had locked their house and gone somewhere. Clarifying the matter, she says, “We had stepped out for just two hours. Would anyone leave their house unlocked? The media turned it into an issue. We returned home the same night.” Victim’s family says – We don’t want compensation, we want justice The commission formed to investigate the Bhagirathpura case has asked affected families to submit documents. Sadhana has provided all the required papers, including the death certificate, birth certificate, vaccination records and hospital documents. When asked whether they would consider filing a court case, she replied without hesitation, “Yes, we would.” She says what has been lost can never truly be compensated. “If I ask for something, people will say I’m asking for money. But if we remain silent, such wrong things will continue to happen in society. Strict action should be taken against those responsible. All affected families should receive proper compensation and a permanent government job. If we stay quiet, they will think we are foolish and can be treated however they want.” Addressing rumours about compensation, she adds, “If we were greedy, we would not have returned the ₹2-lakh cheque from the Red Cross Society. We accepted that help only after repeated requests. Apart from that, we have taken no assistance. Officials also offered a private school job with a salary of ₹10–12 thousand, which I refused.”
Empty Holi, Heavy Hearts and Unresolved Questions
Two months have passed, but many houses in Bhagirathpura still don’t have regular water supply. People are still dependent on RO or bottled water. For families who have lost their loved ones, rebuilding trust is more important than compensation. This time there will be less gulal flying here, but more questions will be raised. Will even basic necessities like clean water no longer be available with trust? Who is responsible for this tragedy? Will the culprits be punished? This first ‘colorless’ Holi of Bhagirathpura is not just the fading of a festival, but a painful reminder of the tragedy that claimed 35 lives. Many dreams were washed away here even before the colors.