An estimated 2000 people turned out yesterday in Tenerife’s Costa Adeje for one of the Hindu community’s most important events of the year.
The community’s Holi Festival saw a big turnout from locals and tourists for the colourful celebration organised by the South Tenerife Hindu Association, with support from Adeje town hall.
According to Association president Shyam Aswani, who founded it in 1990, the Hindu community in south Tenerife boasts approximately 1500 members – many of whom have run businesses and lived on the island for generations – and is solidly integrated into society, having forged strong cultural and social ties.
Key to such integration is the celebration of events such as Holi, which is popularly known as the Festival of Colour due to its standout feature: the throwing of colour powders in every imaginable shade.
The day also featured live performances of traditional Indian music and dance, including Bollywood routines, and food stalls serving up authentic cuisine from India and other parts of Asia.
The roots of Holi lie in Indian mythology and the changing of the seasons, particularly the end of winter and arrival of spring. According to the Hindu community, it is a time to forgive and forget, and to breathe new life into relationships in a colourful way.
Although, the highlight and most spectacular part of the celebration is Rangwali Holi, the throwing of the coloured powders in a ‘battle’ between good and bad, the previous evening is also important (Holika Dahan), as bonfires are lit to symbolically burn away evil.
Photo credit: Adeje.com
