Festival of colours: Hindu community celebrates Holi

ISLAMABAD: Holi, the Hindu spring festival also known as the "festival of colours", is being celebrated by the Hindu community in Pakistan and worldwide with traditional and religious fervour from today. 

The Holi celebrations signal the end of winter and the arrival of spring, with the official festival taking place from March 20-21. Revellers spray coloured powder and water at each other and dance as well as distribute sweets during the celebrations.

Prime Minister Imran Khan wished a happy Holi to the Hindu community.

"Wishing our Hindu community a very happy and peaceful Holi, the festival of colours," the premier tweeted. 

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also extended greetings to the Hindu community. 

"Happy Holi to all my Hindu brothers & sisters. On the happy occasion of Holi, let us spread the wonderful massage of peace and happiness," he wrote on Twitter. 

This year, the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) unanimously passed a resolution against Indian aggression and vowed to support the brave Pakistan Army in defending the motherland.

During a recent meeting, the PHC termed the recent visit of prominent parliamentarian Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani to India a remarkable peace initiative to defuse Pakistan-India tensions.

In order to acknowledge the successful Pakistan Movement, PHC also announced to dedicate the Holi festival to Pakistan Day.

Dr Ramesh Kumar told APP that the festival of colours rejuvenates the spirit of fun, freedom, love, respect and happiness to blend myths with religion for promoting harmony.

Felicitating the Hindu community on the festival, he said it welcomes spring, brings joy, festivity and happiness for all sections of the society and promotes celebration among all communities.

In Pakistan, the Hindu community celebrates the festival with a play of colours and also burns logs of wood to symbolise the victory of good over evil and observe Holi Pooja.

The Hindu community also throws colours blended in water, powdered colours and splash colour-filled balloons in what is also the first major festival of Hindus in the year.