Hindus celebrate Holi with colours of joy
Hundreds of families from the Hindu and Sikh communities gather to celebrate the Holi Festival at the Krishna Temple in Saddar, Rawalpindi. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Hindu community in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad celebrated the festival of Holi with religious zeal and enthusiasm. Known as the festival of colours or the festival of love, the Hindu community organised Holi celebrations at the two major temples in Rawalpindi, including the Krishna Temple in Saddar.
The Krishna Temple hosted the event, organised by the Hindu Sikh Social Welfare Council, with the support of the Auqaf Department.
Hindu families from across the city, including children, participated in the Holi festivities and enjoyed it throughout the day. With beautiful songs and lively spirits, women, children, and families smeared colours on each other, turning clothes, faces, hands, arms, and even hair into vibrant hues of red, blue, yellow, green, and other colours.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary Isphanyar M Bhandara participated as the chief guest. During the celebration, prayers were offered for the prosperity, peace, and security of Pakistan, as well as for the eradication of terrorism and national unity. Prasad (offering) was also distributed among the attendees.
The traders and shopkeepers of Saddar also fully supported the event, while the police ensured tight security arrangements.
Chairman of the Hindu Sikh Social Welfare Council, Sardar Heera Lal, expressed his gratitude for the support received from the district administration and police, highlighting the participation of Hindu families from both Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
However, he mentioned the challenges faced due to limited space in the temple and urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to focus on improving the condition of temples, gurudwaras, and cemeteries in Rawalpindi.
Heera also emphasised the need for special scholarships for children studying in religious institutions and appealed to the PML-N leadership, particularly Nawaz Sharif, to give special attention to the concerns of the Hindu and Sikh communities, as they had supported PML-N with their votes and had high hopes for the fulfillment of their rightful demands.
He further said that Pakistan is the homeland of all its citizens, regardless of their background or faith, and urged for greater cooperation with local communities in Rawalpindi. The Chairman also expressed the community's desire for members to serve in the Pakistan Army to protect the country, highlighting their readiness to sacrifice their lives for the nation.
The celebrations concluded with a prayer for Pakistan and the national anthem, with enthusiastic chants of "Pakistan Zindabad".
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