By Verdel Bishop
Phagwa celebrations return today at the Aranjuez Savannah and around the country in various communities, following a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Head of the National Phagwa Council, Pundit Satyanan Gosein said the celebration in Aranjuez is the main stage of Phagwa with families journeying from far and wide to be a part of it. Gosein said while Phagwah is a festive cultural event, participants should remember the essence of the festivities comes from the Hindu scriptures.
“We want everyone to come to Aranjuez Savannah and enjoy the spirit of holiness, love, and togetherness. It is a time to rejuvenate ourselves, to purge ourselves, to redeem ourselves, to forget all differences, to put aside all enmity, and to come together as we usher in the new Hindu calendar year,” Gosein said.
“Phagwa”, he continued, “is a Hindu celebration that stems from the spring festival, even though there is no spring in Trinidad and Tobago. We maintain this culture from India as it marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new Hindu calendar year.”
He added that the festival should not be regarded as a carnival and wants participants to remember to be sober while enjoying the festivities as it is a no-alcohol occasion.
“This is a national festival for not only Hindus, but all ethnicities.”
Gosein said he is happy that the country can enjoy Phagwa freely on a national scale. “Let us come together as a people, respect each other, respect the health protocols, and enjoy Phagwa in a safe environment.”
About Phagwa
Phagwah celebrates the arrival of spring in the Hindu calendar, and it can also be referred to as “Holi” or as “the festival of colours”. To commence the season of Phagwah, Hindus perform chowtaal in temples across the country. Chowtaal is a term used to describe Indian folk songs that are normally sung as a duet.
Phagwa or Holi is a religious festival celebrated by the Hindu community in March of each year. But as with all observances in our multi-ethnic, multi-religious country, the wider community also enjoys the joyous festivities of Phagwa.
Celebrants wearing white, are sprayed with a variety of coloured dyes mixed with water called abeer. The word “Holi” is derived from the Sanskrit word Holika, meaning, “parched grains”.
While this festival has solemn religious significance as a rite of purification to promote good health, the throwing of abeer, along with joyful singing and dancing, creates a cheerful atmosphere.
On the day of phagwa, communities where the festivities are celebrated turn red, green and yellow as celebrants throw abeer into the air and splash it on others.
Each colour carries a meaning. Red, for example, symbolises love and fertility, while green stands for new beginnings. People also splash water on each other in celebration.
