Auckland, March 5, 2017
Piety, fun and entertainment will be hallmarks of the Holi Festival at Ram Mandir in New Lynn on Sunday, March 12, 2017.
The day-long festival in one of the finest Temples in the Southern Hemisphere will commence at 10 am, culminating in ‘Holi Ka Dhan’ at 830 pm.
The Temple, located at 11 Brick Street in the West Auckland suburb of Henderson will celebrate the Festival of Colours as ‘Grand Faag Sammelan’ to promote religious fervour and family gathering in a spirit of community harmony.
The entry to the festival is free and would include lunch and dinner served by the trustees, devotees and volunteers of Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust which owns and manages the Temple.
Good triumphs over evil
Holi, the Festival of Colours, marks the triumphs of good over evil in Hindu culture.
It is one of the most spectacular celebrations in the world.
According to the Hindu religion, Lord Krishna loves to play pranks on girls by covering them with water and bright colours. Hence, a huge part of Holi is the dumping of coloured powder and scented water on people during a bonfire, resulting in a bold, bright display of tie-dyed humans that many tourists plan entire vacations around just to see.
Beyond all the religious and cultural manifestations, Holi is really about the inescapable truth that every person is born equal and hence has the right to be treated and provided opportunities for growth as equals.
India in general and Hinduism in particular have given the world a number of occasions and festivals to embrace the whole human race.
These occasions aim to integrate and unite communities and Holi is one of them. The Festival has profound meaning for humankind and enhances race relations and integration.
Holi is an ideal festival for Indians to shed inhibitions and differences even if it is just for the day. It begets a general sense of abandoned vitality and colour to life.
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