The Festival of Colors, known as HOLI is celebrated not just in India but also among the Indian diaspora in other part of the world. In France, it’s celebrated with great fervor in the month of May because in this part of the hemisphere and during springtime, the climate is more favorable to make a big event in one of the most beautiful parks of Paris, Le Jardin d’Acclimatation.
Mr Marc Antoine Jamet, President of the Jardin d’Acclimatation, Paris |
As said by Mr Marc-Antoine Jamet, President of the Jardin d’Acclimatation, “In its missions, the Jardin d’Acclimatation was to make Parisians discover the singularity and diversity of the five continents, showing the different cultures that exist beyond the French capital, from Europe, and from the seas… Since 2017, it’s a great honor to organise with the support of the traditional festival of colors, Holi, bringing together the Indian community in France and beyond with many others at each edition with a record crowd of nearly 30,000 visitors.”
The concept of this festival in France was created in 2017 by Mehen Poinoosawmy of the Global Indian Organisation (GIO) and Anwar Hussain of the Bollywood Maharaja group with the support of Embassy of India in France. It is now celebrated annually thanks to Mr Marc Antoine Jamet. In hardly few years this festival has bypassed the frontiers of India and is now inserted in the calendar of festivals in France and even promoted by the tourism office of Paris. Holi has become a global festival celebrated not just by Indians but by non-Indians as well. It is considered now as a celebration of diverse friendships and a perfect way to pass on the traditional Indian cultural values to the young Indian generation. It helps the young generation abroad identify with their cultural roots
Mr M. Jamet of Jardin d’Acclimatation, His Excellency Ambassador of India to France, Shri Jawed Ashraf, Mehen Poinoosawmy, GIO Europe President and Prisca Thevenot, Member of Parliament in France National Assembly. |
The festival of colors is also to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of India which promotes also certain universal values. As said by His Excellency Shri Vishal Sharma, Ambassador and permanent delegation of India to Unesco, this festival of colors in general helps the intercultural understanding and encourages respect for other ways of life. It is a festival of love where people from different faiths get together forgetting their differences. It promotes brotherhood, social harmony, and a sense of oneness.
The content of the programme was rich and diverse, starting from 10:00 am in the morning up to 18:00 pm in the evening, celebrating different cultures and traditions of India. There was a showcase of different music dance styles from the different states of India: Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam, Garba, Lavanya, Bhangra, Kachhi Ghodi, Mayur ...etc
Indian cuisine is renowned worldwide for its diverse flavors, spices, and culinary traditions. Indian delicacies were also available to the visitors with several FoodTrucks and restaurants. India's unmatched wealth of diversity for the Ayurvedha, Yoga meditation and Heine Tattoos were very highly appreciated in the different interactive workshops to educate and engage the audience.
The peak moment was the colorful parade show of RadhaKrishna featuring dancers and live musicians leading their way to the main stage where the great color spread was prepared. His Excellency Ambassador of India in France Shri Jawed Ashraf mentioned that this festival of colors “is an electrifying event, a celebration of color and love. Such a huge event is hard to see anywhere in the world. Holi being celebrated in this fashion, in one of the most beautiful parks of France, Jardin d’Accimatation is unique.
Holi is one of the most beautiful festivals in the world, it unites everybody and where people of all backgrounds and all nationalities are united together by the sense of joy. It’s the love of this world in all it’s diversity and unity. We have embraced the world with our beauty and our love”.
This event welcomed a crowd of around 30 000 people which clearly shows that India's soft power is continuously evolving and adapting to the changing global landscape. Through its cultural heritage, arts, cuisine, music, dances and values, India, has successfully projected a positive image and influence worldwide.
Due to its all-embracing nature, the festival of colors, HOLI is a gift of India to the world. After the repeated success of this festival of colors, Mehen POINOOSAWMY, President of Global Indian Organisation for Europe, Mr Marc Antoine Jamet, President of Jardin d’Acclimation and the Bollywood Maharaj of France , Amwar Hussain promise to come back again next year to make the bridge between India and France and to bring joy and happiness again with colors.
