Crowds celebrate as PMB’s colourful Holi returns after Covid break

After a two-year break owing to Covid-19, crowds flocked to the Protea Grounds on Saturday to celebrate the return of the colourful Holi celebrations hosted by the Midlands Hindu Society.

The Holi is a popular and significant festival in Hinduism that is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm.

The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and is also seen as a new beginning where people can release all their inhibitions and start afresh.

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Omika Seeth, the programme director, welcomed the participants and shared the history behind the Hindu festival. She said the Holi festival began in India, but since Hindus have spread to almost every country, they celebrate the festival across the world.

People play with colours on this day while wearing white clothes, because the white colour reflects and scatters all the visible wavelengths of light
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The Midlands Hindu Society began the festival by performing religious rituals and prayed for internal evils to be destroyed. Thereafter, they burned a dhall, which symbolises Holika Dahanam, in keeping with their culture. Nalini Ramrethan, the secretary of the Midlands Hindu Society, explained the process for burning of the dhall.

“Rendered Holika Dahanam celebrates the legend Holika and Prahlad. Holika thought that she could use her power [that fire cannot destroy her] to kill her nephew, Prahlad, and sat with him in the bonfire. However, she got burnt herself and Prahlad was saved.

While the dhall [Holika] was burning, people surrounded the fire, singing and throwing rice into the fire.” City resident Vaneshri Pillay said the atmosphere of the event is something special. “… I believe that a public gathering is important after so many years of Covid-19. It brings about unity in the community.”

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Reshmika Budhoo said that it is really good to see people gathered in their masses. “It is really nice to see people coming out to support the Midlands Hindu Society. We are hoping that this can continue for years to come” said Budhoo.

Revika Ramesar, the vice president of the Midlands Hindu Society, said: “We are really delighted with how everything has gone after all the planning we did. It is really pleasing to see the amount of people who have turned up to support this event and celebrate Holi.” said Ramesar.