‘No boundaries’ at Holi, India’s festival of colours

Dancing dressed in traditional clothes yesterday is Bhavya Prasad. PHOTOS: GREGOR RICHARDSON

Vibrant colours, water guns and Bollywood music made for a fun celebration of one of the biggest Indian festivals in Dunedin.

Dunedin parents Pranay and Riti with their son Agastya Karavadi, 4.

The city’s Indian community came together at North East Valley Normal School to celebrate the Hindu festival of colours — Holi — yesterday.

Dunedin Indian Association committee member Rohit Jain said Holi was a festival with "no boundaries".

Dancing at the Dunedin Holi celebration is Tanvi Nayudu, 13.

"The basic rule is don’t mind anything."

He said people got in each other’s faces and threw colours and water at each other to join in on the celebration and have fun.

The Dunedin Holi Festival at North East Valley Normal School yesterday.

Mr Jain said back home in India, the entire nation celebrated Holi.

"Everybody waits for Holi to come."

Mumbai street food stallholders Aruna Rajula (left) and Poojitha Shevari.

Holi, which was celebrated on Friday in India this year, marks the beginning of the spring season on the Indian subcontinent and is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil.

At Dunedin’s festival there were about a dozen home cooking food stalls from states across India, including Madyha Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab, selling sweet and savoury snacks such as gulab jamun and pani puri.