A riot of colours, music and festive cheer swept across Goa as Holi celebrations brought together locals and tourists in vibrant community gatherings. Bollywood songs ruled the Holi celebrations that took place at various events. The festival of colours drew not just locals but also international tourists to experience the uniqueness of the celebrations. BURA NA MANO, HOLI HAI Vishwas Deshpande and his friends visited Panaji, where they played with Holi colours, applying them to each other. “All friends start off with prayers at our home, and we meet at this festival in Panaji. Most of my family is based in Kolhapur and, since we are working tomorrow, it’s not possible to travel back home,” says Vishwas, who was celebrating with his family and friends. The open grounds in Panaji and the festival of colours attracted tourists too. In Margao, Katherine from the UK has been staying in Goa for the first time and loved being included in the festivities. “I had read about the festival and how it is celebrated. My uncle, who comes to Goa every year, told me that I should experience it, and I truly enjoyed it,” says Kate, who also carried a few packets of organic colours. ORGANIC COLOURS FLOOD THE MARKET With extensive advertisements and announcements about toxic colours, revellers are making wise choices about the colours they use. Radika Shirodkar, who owns a convenience store in Margao, says that the number of people choosing organic colours has increased over the last few years. “We get customers who demand organic colours, as other colours have a lot of added chemicals. They are a bit expensive, but people are now concerned about their health,” says Radika.
