THE Indian Arrival Committee has in a message on the occasion of the Festival of Phagwah called on Guyanese to regard the great festival as a focus for national unity. The following is the full text of the message: “The Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) extends Phagwah (Holi) greetings to all the citizens of Guyana, especially those who are guided by the philosophical teachings of Sanatan Dharma.
Phagwah or Holi is a festival of Bharat (India) that has its roots in antiquity and celebrates the coming of a new spring season and the dawning of a new year. The exuberance of this festival reflects the collective hope of people for progress and prosperity and the concomitant betterment of their lives.
This festival of renewal most likely pre-dated the Sarasvati Valley Civilisation, the world’s first significant civilization which flourished between 5000 BCE and 2600 BCE and saw the emergency of both Sri Rama, whose story is related in the Ramayan, and Sri Krishna of  Mahabharat fame.
Even though the cultural landscape in Bharat had changed from time to time from the introduction of the Negroids followed by the Proto-Australoids, Dravidians, Mongoloids, Caucasians, Persians, Greeks, Shakas, Kushanas, Huns, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mughals and Europeans, the festival of Holi emerged, survived and flourished in Bharat, the world’s first melting pot.
Holi was brought to British Guiana by Hindus who arrived here as indentured labourers to work on sugar plantations 174 years ago and was sustained by the majority of the approximately 239,000 Bharatiyas who arrived on these shores between 1838 and 1917.
Phagwah was transplanted from a large sub-continent, characterized by the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, to Guyana a small South American land of dry and rainy seasons and even though global warming is creating climatic havoc, the symbolism of Holi must not be lost.
IAC, therefore, calls upon all the citizens of this multi-cultural land of Guyana to regard the great festival of Phagwah or Holi, which celebrates life and hopes regardless of demography or geography, always as a focus for national unity.
Happy Holi from the IAC.”