Holi is celebrated across India with colors, but in one of the oldest cities of the world — Varanasi — the festival is celebrated with a strange tradition. The city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh celebrates Holi by smearing "Chita bhasma" or funeral pyre ashes.On Monday,devotees celebrated the festival at Varanasi's Manikarnika Ghat, which is one of the holiest ghats (riverfronts) alongside the river Ganga. According to popular belief, the tradition of celebrating Holi started when Lord Shiva smeared ashes all over himself to marry Parvati. Since then, there has been a tradition of marking this festival with ashes.A certain section of people first offers prayer to Mahashamashan Nath, the lord of the cremation grounds, and then smears ashes and gulal on each other. They also dance to Holi songs.Locals celebrate this unusual event every year, but for people who are not from the city, this event comes as a surprise.Even foreigners take part in this festival by smearing ashes.