Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. hosted 2025 annual Phagwah (Holi) Celebration Tuesday march 10 evening at the borough office: Queens is one of five Boros or cities that make up the larger City of New York. Similar Holi celebrations were held all over New York, including offices of politicians and colleges last week and other celebrations are planned for the rest of this month. New York City’s mayor Mamdani celebrated Holi at a day care center in Richmond Hill on March 4; hundreds of thousands of Indians (Hindus) are settled in the greater Richmond Hill area.
Holi is a joyful festival of vibrant colors that marks the advent of Spring that symbolizes renewal and unity. It also has spiritual significance marking the triumph of good over evil. It is called festival of colors because of the change in the season when beautiful flowers and plants sprout. Celebrants usually dousing colorful water, talc powder, abeer, and gulal on each other forming a rainbow.
Holi is a celebration of renewal of life with family, friends, and community. It is a festival of love, bringing people together regardless of background and status in society. There is no distinction among people on any account. It is a time to invite non-Hindus to celebrate the new season and to expand friendship.
Holi celebrations have been institutionalized by Hindus from the Caribbean since their arrival in New York in the late 1960s. The festival has gained prominence in NY and areas where large numbers of Hindus are settled. Hindus from around the globe have migrated and settled all over the US. The largest numbers are in the Greater New York, New Jersey, Orlando, and Miami areas. Parades and open park celebrations were held annually. Temples around the USA and Canada also celebrated Holi on March 3 and 4.
For the last couple decades, various politicians hosted celebrations of Holi, Diwali and other Hindu as well as Muslim festivals in New York City, Schenectady and New York State. These celebrations helped Hindus and non-Muslims to understand Indian culture (from India and the diaspora).
Queens has the largest Indo-Caribbean and Indian communities in America. They contribute so much to cultural and social fabric as well as in taxes wherever they live. Queens is the home of the annual Phagwah Parade as well as the annual Diwali motorcade and mela. At one time, there were two parades – in Richmond Hill and in Queens Village. This year, the parade is on the last Sunday of the month March 29. The Bronx, Jersey City, and Schenectady also host Phagwah parades or melas.
Every Queens Boro President and NYC Mayors going back a few decades hosted Phagwah celebrations. The Queens Borough event was open to the public free of charge. It was a program of free cultural entertainment (dancers, singing, music), short speeches, ethnic dishes, and award ceremony. The participants were of Indo Caribbean, Asian Indian, Bangladeshi and Nepali background. Awardees include a Jndo Caribbean, Bangladeshi. Nepali. and a national from India. There was a full house of spectators including several Caribbean community leaders.
Queens President Donovan Richards thanked all of the participants and awardees for a memorable event. It was indeed a celebration to remember.
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