Coloured dye, music and laughter filled the air as the Indian community celebrated one of the richest religious traditions on Saturday.
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The Holi Festival, one of the most popular festivals in Hinduism, was celebrated at Golden Square Pool with upwards of 1600 people from all walks of life coming together.
In India, the colourful festival marks the beginning of spring and is believed to signify the triumph of good over evil.
While it was just the second time the Indian Association of Bendigo had hosted Holi, president Abhishek Awasthi said the response was tremendous.
"We've increased the scale by about 10 times and we got sold out in less than two weeks, it's just amazing," he said.
"For me, celebrating Holi in Bendigo and Australia is all about showcasing cultural and religious diversity and sending that message out to the world that how inclusive the places are.
"It's a tradition in Hindi or in Sunskrit that your guests are your gods so we're welcoming the Bendigo community and wider community with open arms, not only today in the future in the days coming and we look forward to celebrating with the wider community."
Mr Awasthi said it was "absolutely stunning" to be prominent on Greater Bendigo's cultural calendar.
Special guests at the event included members from local and state government, as well as the Consulate General of India, Dr Sushil Kumar, who visited Bendigo with his family for the first time.
"I'm delighted to see this colorful celebration in Bendigo and I would like to thank the Indian Association of Bendigo for organising this colorful event," he said.
"Holi is the most popular festival of India. It is not only celebrated in India but throughout the world and in Victoria the Indian community is very diverse."
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The Indian Association of Bendigo promotes Indian culture across the region.
Mr Awasthi said they are already looking ahead to next years event and even three years from now, when Holi will be celebrated before the Commonwealth Games.
"We are in conversation with the government, in 2026 when the Commonwealth Games come to actually have Holi as a curtain-raiser," he said.
"That's three years away, but we are having conversations symbolising just how important it is."
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Jonathon Magrath
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Jonathon has been living and working in Bendigo since March 2021, currently working as a general reporter. Contact him on jonathon.magrath@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
