The air was thick with the scent of flowers and perfume. Rose petals and coloured powder rained on the people as they visited the Rajasthan Association of North America’s (RANA) Holi Milan at the Hindu Sabha Temple.

Members of RANA welcomed the arrival of spring by celebrating Holi at the Hindu Sabha Temple. More than five hundred people threw coloured water and powders on each other while some danced to popular music from Bollywood movies. “It was an opportunity to mingle with each other, thereby improving ties and bonds with people of same community,” said Deepa Vijh, an employee of Just Energy.

“Canada has a liberal outlook and a unique sensitivity of other religious leanings. Indians enjoy religious freedom in a large measure. Therefore, the Indian community celebrates Holi every year in the protected precincts of Indian clubs, or the Indian Embassy premises (Ambassadors’ house) or private houses. They wear the choicest Lakhnavi chicken kurtas and Banarasi sarees and play with natural gulal,” avers Deepthi Gupta, a resident of Mississauga.

“DJs, ice-water pichkaris, mouth-watering gujiyas and delicious Indian food! This is what I enjoyed most and was looking forward too! It’s a big event for us each year, as we celebrate it with a lot of shor-sharaba at home too,” said Akshit Patel, a Business Man from Malton.

“I just loved the entertainment programs. Boys and girls joyfully welcomed Spring, the season of hope not just with colours but with songs, dance, chanting of hymns in the serene ambiance of the Temple. I bet that anybody who gets a chance to witness this elegant way of celebrating Holi remembers it with fond memory for the rest of his life,” says Trisha Rathod, a student of York University.

The spirit of festivity binds people back to their roots. A break from the hum drum of daily life, Holi provides an opportunity to soak them in the colors of harmony and rejuvenate the memories of the celebrations of the festival back home.

Author:Ramya Maheshwary