Holi celebrations have been held around the district and another is planned in Ashburton next month.
The Ashburton Indian Multicultural Charitable Trust Holi festival is on April 5. It will be held at 216 Havelock St, (opposite the Ashburton library) starting at 11am.
Meanwhile on Saturday, about 35 Ashburton Indian Society members celebrated Holi at one of their homes in the town.
Holi – The Festival of Colours symbolises victory over evil; it is the most vibrant of all Hindu festivals.
Spokesperson Ravind Kumar said the celebration was true to tradition, people playing with colours, meet and greet one another and create new beginnings. It also involved participants joining in playing with drums, musical instruments, dancing and singing.
It followed earlier in the week, Mount Hutt College’s cultural committee celebrating the festival.
Committee prefect Jennifer Lopez said there was colourful chalk art from students, alongside music in the school’s performance area.
On Thursday there was a jelly eating competition for house points, with one senior and one junior representing their house.
‘‘Blue house won first place for eating their jelly the quickest, green in second place, gold in third place and red in fourth place. We also had some beautiful henna done by some of our talented South Asian students,’’ Jennifer said.
‘‘It was a very successful celebration, thanks to all that came to celebrate.’’
– Ashburton Indian Multicultural Charitable Trust Holi festival on April 5 starting at 11am at 216 Havelock St.
