Hundreds Adorned in Colours at Holi Festival

Hundreds of Jamaicans were splashed with a variety of brightly-coloured dye as they gathered to celebrate Holi – the Indian festival of colours.

The event was held at the India-Jamaica Friendship Garden, Hope Royal Botanical Gardens, on March 12.

Festivalgoers, some dressed in white, covered each other in hues of red, green, blue and yellow in an explosion of colour, joy and unity.

Holi, an annual Hindu festival of colours is celebrated each year to honour the arrival of Spring, as well as love, fertility and renewal. It was brought to Jamaica by Indians when they first arrived in the country as indentured labourers in 1845.

At the festival, people were entertained by choreographed folk dances and cultural performances by the Online Zoomers, the Mudra Art Group and the Tasha Band.

Persons also had fun participating in sack races, a couple game, and tug of war. On sale were traditional sweets and Indian dishes, including Hyderabadi chicken, egg chicken tikka roll and Gulab Jamun.

India’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Rungsung Masakui, said he was happy with the large turnout at the festival.

“We are very happy. It is so good and people are happy running around, and we are all full of colours,” he said.

The High Commissioner said that Holi is the celebration of “our friendship and family bonds and a celebration of life”.

“When you throw colours to other people you are throwing goodness, you are throwing kindness, you are throwing life, so you just don’t put colours on one person you put colours to many people… . It is about the sharing of happiness,” he told JIS News, in explaining the significance of adorning persons with coloured powder.

He said that the Indian community looks forward to the celebration of Holi, which took place this year on March 8, according to the Hindu calendar.

“We decided to celebrate it on [March 12] when persons from the Jamaican community can come and celebrate with us,” he pointed out.

He said that the event, which is usually held at India House, the official residence of the Indian High Commissioner, was moved to Hope Gardens to accommodate more people.

“India House cannot take more than 300 people, so we thought we would make it possible for everyone to come out and participate,” he noted.

The India-Jamaica Friendship Garden at Hope Gardens, where the event was held, serves as a symbol of the long-standing relations between India and Jamaica. It was officially inaugurated on May 16, 2022, by the President of the Republic of India, His Excellency the Hon. Ram Nath Kovind, when he was in Jamaica on a four-day State Visit.

Among those in attendance at the festival were Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn; senior government officials; members of parliament; and High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica, Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic and other members of the diplomatic corps.

Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, Rhoda Moy Crawford, in an interview with JIS News expressed appreciation for the festival.

“Having gone to India in 2021 at the invitation of the Indian Government and having enjoyed the cultural experience there, I was really looking forward to coming to this festival,” she said.

“I am all painted. I think it is a very, very good family fun day. India’s culture is on full display. It is a clean event for the whole family, and what I enjoy most is that persons are just having fun. The food is good, the music is good, and the activities are awesome. I am enjoying myself,” she said.

She endorsed the significance of Holi and its message of “celebrating good over evil and embracing happiness”.

“This message that the Indian community is sending about good over evil and embracing happiness is a message I want to endorse because while we have challenges in our country, there are so many good things, there are so many happy things that we can celebrate. So, we too should embrace it,” she said.

Kerry Ann Watson, who had colours on her face and clothes, said she enjoyed the event even though she was not prepared for the colourful festival.

“It is the first time I am coming. It looks exciting with all the colours. Next time I will know what to wear. It is fun with everybody greeting each other with the colours,” she said, noting that “it was exciting to see aspects of the Indian culture portrayed with music and traditional dresses and food.”

Another patron, Twila Wheelan, who was also a first-timer, expressed admiration for the festival.

“Holi is a true demonstration of our diversity and the beauty of togetherness. I wish we had more events like it in Jamaica on a larger scale to foster cultural exchange. I loved getting coloured, and I can’t wait for the next staging,” she told JIS News.

The festival was organised by the High Commission of India in Jamaica in collaboration with the Indian Cultural Society in Jamaica.