Holi Colourfest brings a slice of home to Toowoomba’s Indian and Nepalese communities
Toowoomba gathered together this weekend to celebrate Holi the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring.
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Hundreds of people from all walks of life gathered together at UniSQ on Saturday to celebrate Holi, a traditional Hindu festival.
The vibrant celebration brought together Indian and Nepalese Communities giving some of Toowoomba’s international residents a taste of home.
Nancy Shah, who has lived in Toowoomba for the past 18 years, said she saw the celebration, which is full of different colours, as an event for all people.
“We are all one, we are all human, so we can all enjoy this together,” she said.
“No matter where you are from, no matter what religion you come from, it’s all about coming together.”
Ms Shah came to Holi with a group of friends who are all Indian expats living in Australia and she said Holi reminded them of their home.
“It feels like you are back in your home, and it brings all the memories back with it,” she said.
The event was a collaboration between the Indian Communities of Toowoomba, Nepalese Association of Toowoomba, UniSQ Student Guild, NAT UniSQ club, and UniSQ Residential Colleges.
Nepalese Association of Toowoomba President Dhiraj Dahal said he wanted the event to include everyone and be a way to show other communities a bit about their culture.
“We want to include them and let them know what Holi is and that anyone can celebrate it,” he said.
“Being far away from home, why not make it feel like home.”
Recent UniSQ graduate Nency Bhadiyadra said Holi was a chance to meet new people and no one could be offended when you doused a stranger in colourful dye.
“We like to say ‘Bura na mano holi hai’ which means ‘you don’t mind, it’s holi’,” she said.
Muhammad Usama, who has lived in Toowoomba for the past year, is from Pakistan and although Holi is not a traditional celebration from his home country he said it was a holiday that welcomed anyone from anywhere.
“It’s an excuse to bring everyone close and spread love,” he said.
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