Friday, March 5, 2010
Celebrating Holi & Health..
It's time for Holi & health
A community in colours
Kulwinder Herar, Special to the Times
Published: Friday, March 05, 2010We couldn't have had a better conclusion to the Winter Olympics, hopefully bringing good fortune to Canadian athletes at the Paralympic Games, which starts March 12 in Vancouver. It's wonderful to see Canadians celebrate their patriotic colours of red and white.
On the topic of colours, Indo-Canadians are celebrating Holi, an occasion when people throw coloured powder on each other eliminating any forms of discrimination. As weird as sounds, it's loads of fun and is becoming a long standing tradition in India.
Holi was celebrated on March 1 at University of the Fraser Valley in partnership with the Centre of Indo-Canadians Studies and Multicultural Department of Mission Community Services.
There was several activities organized for students and spectators.
The most important exercise was the colour throwing, which ran for about an hour.
Kusum Soni, co-ordinator of multicultural services in Mission, shared the values of this festival, saying "this is a festival to eliminate discrimination and to build cross-cultural understanding through the simple game of throwing colours."
Keeping with the Olympic spirit I have dedicated a lot of my time to my personal health. Finding a fitness routine and an instructor is essential if you want to see gains. I have shed close to 30 pounds and many people have given me the ultimate blank stare.
Speaking with Sara Elias and Wendy Halliwell from Great West Fitness they both shared these inspiring words: "It is a place where anyone, of any fitness level, can meet new people and develop friendships.
- Ken Herar is a columnist with the Abbotsford-Mission Times. Contact him at: kenherar@gmail.com.
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