Festival of colours back in KL

Thousands of attendees enjoying being splashed with water while playing with colours and dancing to the rhythm of the music. — Photos courtesy of SDS Youth

After a six-year hiatus, the Holi Festival celebrations makes a comeback this Saturday at the Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Kampung Kasipillay, Kuala Lumpur.

Organised by Sanatan Dharam Sabha (SDS) Youth, the SDS Holi Festival Malaysia is an event that celebrates the colourful Indian festival in Malaysia.

Holi is a spring festival, also known as the festival of colours.

The celebration fosters a feeling of togetherness among people of different backgrounds.

The fun event is celebrated on a grand scale as everyone in sight is doused with coloured powder and colour-infused water, then showered again with water using pails or water guns.

A child applying coloured powder on a woman’s face during the Holi celebration.

At the Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Holi has been celebrated with gusto for 10 years, amid a vibrant atmosphere.

Open to the public, the festival has been drawing larger crowds every year.

In 2014, the event attracted a crowd of up to 2,500 people from 35 different countries.

In 2015, 5,000 people braved the hot weather and long queues to be part of the exciting celebration.

In 2016, SDS Holi gained a place in the Malaysia Book of Records for drawing 5,955 people, with an unofficial count of over 7,000 people from over 45 countries.

With an objective to unite people of all cultures and walks of life and to instil a community feel, the festival continued to be celebrated in a grand scale until the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

For this year’s festival, the organisers have lined up a host of colourful activities featuring amazing performers, good music, food and drinks.

Unlike previous years where the event was celebrated in the afternoon, this year’s event will take place in the evening.

The event is funded by SDS Youth and supported by donors and the public.

There will be stalls offering Indian street specialities such as vada pav, ice gola, thandai, jal jeera and jalebi.

For those new to the event, rules and regulations as well as FAQ can be found on the event’s Facebook page.

It is important to adhere to the dress code as the event is being held on temple grounds, otherwise one might not be allowed entry.

Smoking and consumption of intoxicants is strictly prohibited.

For more information, look for “SDS Holi Festival Malaysia” on Facebook.