Both young and old people across the country raised a toast to their friendships by celebrating ''Friendship Day'' with full enthusiasm on Aug 1.

In New Delhi, a large number of school and college students gathered to participate in the Friendship Walk. "A friend is a one who helps us in our bad times. He is the one who comes in when other people go out. So, today is a day on which enemies can also turn friends," said Navya, a school student.

A group of people also gathered together and planted trees here to hail their friendship with nature. "We have decided to teach the children to grow plants and trees on Friendship Day and become friends with nature first. This is because kids have the ability of learning things faster," said Megha Chaudhary, a local.

"So, we want them to imbibe this in themselves that they have to think about their country, society and themselves, and how to bring development in the nation," she added.

Meanwhile, to mark the occasion, a ''Friendship Walk'' was organised in Andhra Pradesh''s Visakhapatnam city.

"These types of events are very important to develop the feeling of friendship in the present generation, and to avoid the negative feeling among them. Next year, we will celebrate this with a lot more grandeur," said Sabbam Hari, a lawyer.

"We will take this tradition ahead and encourage this among the people of Visakhapatnam. People are very friendly in nature and this is a very good event," he added.