Phagwah is for all Guyanese

GUYANA is one of the few countries where people from other ethnic groups celebrate a festival – Phagwah – that is ‘ethnic’ (come from India) in nature.  It is also one of a few, if not the only Guyanese festival, in which virtually all ethnic groups partake.  This shows that the country can come together and we can live in peace and harmony enjoying and appreciating each other’s cultures.
There are many messages behind Phagwah.  The one that inspires me the most is the coming together of people, even sworn enemies, in a mood of forgiveness.  And for Phagwah, the politicians come together as do the different ethnic groups to celebrate this spectacular festival.
Holi comes with a change in season – a change in the color of leaves that arrive in spring as the winter fades away – bringing with it a vibrancy of life.  In India, after the harvest of grains, beans and spices, the winter season is ending and Spring is bursting forth bringing with it new life.  The vibrant spring colors brighten the atmosphere bringing forth a joyous feeling.  People celebrate the season with a bounty of colorful abeer reflecting the new colors in the environment.
As someone penned, “With bright blooming flowers and the golden shining rays of the sun, the time is perfect to colour the atmosphere with the fun filled hues of abundance of colors of abeer, gulal, abrack and powder”. In Guyana and in other places where Guyanese have settled, celebrants indulge in the variety of colors.
In addition to celebrating the seasonal change and the harvesting of the crops, Holi marks the joyful spirit of the love and respect people have for each other. The spraying of the abeer and the singing of folk songs and dancing are aspects of the demos of that love.
Holi is also a time for get together to bury the hatchet. People of all races and religions come together to celebrate the festival because goodness and love are not exclusive to any one ethnic group.  Hence the participation of all the groups in Guyana’s celebrations. This festival of colours has indeed transcended all barriers and is enjoyed and celebrated by all with equal zest and vitality with Africans, Indians, Mixed, and Amerindians all into the mosaic. Regardless of religion, Holi is everyone’s festival. People of all ages and religions come out to smear colour on one another and to rejoice in music and dance. We need to live together and the festival is not religiously oriented and is enjoyed by all.  Partaking in it shows respect and appreciation for other cultures. The colour, noise and entertainment that accompanied the celebration bear witness to a feeling of oneness. The festival also provides for healing among foes and groups in ethnic bringing people together to help reduce tensions.
Holi involves the lighting of bonfires to signal the coming of a new season as well as to symbolize the destruction of wicked actions and thoughts. Everything evil and bad is burnt and we are supposed to cleanse our mind of evil and entertain good deeds.  Let us burn the hatred in us for others.
Holi is a time for joy and entertainment.  With our stress-filled environment, Holi provides an ideal opportunity to unwind.  Shubh Holi!

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