Gujarati community celebrates Holi with fervor

ST LOUIS: Members of the Gujarati Community of St. Louis celebrated with a lot of enthusiasms and fervor the festival of Holi on Sunday March 31 at Illinois Park.
Even though the weather was chilly, it did not deter the people from coming to the festival in huge numbers. The children started running around and sprinkling water at each other with their water guns, balloons and also played with Gulal.
Although elders were a bit reluctant in the earlier hours but they too joined in sprinkling Gulal on each other’s face. Music in the background filled the air with songs relating to Holi and other new songs. While many joined in the singing, others enjoyed dancing to the tune of songs.
The colorful festival of Holi, which literally means ‘burning’, went in full swing when people from all ages gathered to light the bon-fire at 6:30 pm. In olden days Holi was celebrated as a symbol of victory over everything that is bad (unholy).
As the fire grew, people circled around the fire offering corn, grams, and coconut to the fire and prayed to God for goodwill and peace on planet earth and also prayed for prosperity and good health.

Ashwin Patel