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KOLI HOLI

Holi festival is one of the most joyous spring festivals celebrated in India. Coloured powders/gulal are smeared on faces of each other and children target water guns filled with coloured water. The night before, a bonfire is arranged (holika-dahan) that represents the win of good over evil. However, the Koli fishermen and women community of Mumbai celebrate Holi two days before the actual festival and in a unique way. The Kolis believe that the sea is sacred and they worship their boats and decorate them with sarees. I documented the festival in 2023 for the first time. There was no playing with colours or wearing casual clothes. Rather, I saw people adorning their best outfits and costumes, traditional as well as creative. The betel nut tea trunks were first dolled up as goddesses and worshipped. The earthen pots were carefully painted by hand. Later the tea trunks were burnt and the pots smashed after prayers. Everything goes through a cycle of creation and destruction. There was music everywhere and people enjoying, dancing and smiling. As if they knew the impermanence of life very well. 

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