Dear Editor,
Holi or Phagwah, the Hindu festival that marks the beginning of Spring and that also signifies the triumph of good over evil, will be celebrated on Saturday, March 26, by the greater New York based Guyanese Hindus and their friends. It is celebrated on the full moon which falls on Wednesday or Thursday depending on the location.
The festival falls on Wednesday, March 23 in NY, although in India it is on the 24th. It is a public holiday in India as it is in Guyana and Suriname and a few other countries. Because it falls on a week day, the West Indian community in the greater NY area will celebrate the festival on Saturday with the annual parade on Liberty Avenue. This will be the 25th annual parade; last year’s was cancelled over division among the organizers. The parade starts at the Dr Jagan Square on 133rd Street and Liberty Avenue and culminates at the Smokey Park with a cultural variety show where the rich Indo-Caribbean cultural talent will be on display. Tens of thousands are expected at this parade. Parades and other celebrations are also planned for Jersey City, the Bronx, Ft Lauderdale and Orlando on Sunday.
The annual Liberty Avenue parade was initiated by Ramesh Kalicharran and Arya Samaj Pandits Satish and Ramlall and other community groups and individuals (Bal Naipaul, Pandit Sukul, Pandit Upadhyaya, etc) some 25 years ago. The idea was suggested by Yashpal Soi of the Federation of Indians in America that stages the annual India Day Parade to mark India’s independence. The parade is usually jointly sponsored by the Arya Spiritual Center and the Federation of Mandirs.
There was a controversy over the organizing of the parade with two splintered groups (comprising followers of both branches of the Hindu faith) claiming rights to organize and host it since last year. It was cancelled last year after the two splinter groups could not reach an agreement when the police issued a permit to one group. The matter ended up in court and the police withdrew the permit last year. This year, a permit was granted to the faction that did not get it last year. As happened last year, this year the other faction went to court to stop the parade. Under pressure and appeals from community leaders and writers like myself to reach an agreement to hold the parade, the two factions reached an accommodation through a court appointed lawyer to jointly stage the parade. Celebrants were disappointed the parade was cancelled last year and have been critical of the two factions for failing to come together to have a parade this year. Both sides caved in to public pressure. Over 25 groups are expected to partake with banners, trucks and vans.
The parade unites diverse people (Indians, Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, Asians) giving them an opportunity to express their passion for their cultural festivals. It attracts the mainstream media as well as community publications.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram