With an objective of enhancing brotherhood/sisterhood, friendship, understanding, mutual cooperation and trust (which are few important fundamentals of peace) among the friends, well-wishers and members, PEN celebrated Holi, a festival of colour and water, in a unique fashion here in Kathmandu on Feb. 28, 2010. This time, the “Holi” was very special as our three Japanese friends Mr. Soichiro Yamanaka, Keisuke Takeyama-san and Yoshihito Fuwa-san had come to Nepal to celebrate this event. Hence, it was also a cultural exchange between Nepal and Japan.
In the morning, Japanese friends gathered at the house of President Sujan Koirala. PEN had a plan to begin “Holi” from the junction point at Mitrapark. However, people began to throw waters and colours right after leaving for the junction from Kapan (Mr. Koirala’s house). Several buckets of waters and colour powders were thrown to Nepali and Japanese friends en-route to Mitrapark. We were completely wet and colourful before reaching the junction. Most of the members and friends were gathered at the junction, had a couple of teas and began to wander around nearby areas. We exchanged greetings by putting colours and pouring water on each other. The celebration which began from Kapan, passed through Mitrapark, Gaurighat, Pashupatinath, Gaushala and ended at Mitrapark. It lasted more than 5 hours. We sang “Holi” song “Jo Gira Sararara…” in many corners of the streets. Friends from different corners of Kathmandu joined us in the street and made lots of fun.
We spent most of our time playing “Holi” at our friend Dipendra Dangol’s servicing centre. We were completely wait and colourful at the end of the celebration. This time, the “Holi” was a thrilling, exciting and memorable experience for us. Japanese friends were quite delighted to be a part of it and had a memorable experience of life time. They wished to visit Nepal in 2011 to celebrate “Holi” again. Including Japanese friends, more than 50 persons celebrated “Holi” with PEN.
Happy Holi, Happy Holi, Happy Holi!
