As Guyanese—especially Hindus across the country—celebrate the vibrant Festival of Colours, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has urged the nation to embrace the deeper meaning of Phagwah by standing together as one people. As the air fills with abeer and laughter echoes across villages and towns, the Head of State reminded citizens that the festival’s true spirit lies not only in colour, but in unity.
In his Phagwah message to the nation, the President called on Guyanese to rise above differences of race, religion and class, stressing that the many colours that adorn the skin must never overshadow the shared humanity beneath.
“This year, as we celebrate, let us carry that invitation forward into every day that follows. Let us build a Guyana where the colour of a child’s skin matters less than the colour of their dreams. Where the texture of their hair is not a measure of their worth, but simply part of the infinite variety of human beauty. Where their religion is a path they walk in peace, and their class is not a cage but a circumstance that can be transcended.”
Let us work to build a Guyana where every person, whether they worship in a mandir, a mosque, a church, or only in the cathedral of their own quiet heart, can stand in the sunlight and say: “Here, I belong. Here, I can become.”
This is not a small dream. It is the greatest dream there is. It is the dream for which our ancestors struggled, for which they laboured and wept and hoped, the Head of State said in his Phagwah message.
Reflecting poetically on the dawn of Phagwah, President Ali described the sacred stillness that precedes the day’s celebration.
“In his message to the nation, he stated that there is a moment, just before dawn breaks over Guyana, when the world holds its breath.”
“The cane fields whisper in the darkness, the rivers glide silently towards the sea, and somewhere in the distance, the first stirrings of life’s rustle begin. This is the threshold between night and morning, between darkness and light, between the old self and the new… On this sacred morning of Phagwah, I stand with you at that threshold.”
The President commended the Hindu community for preserving the festival’s vibrancy and spiritual depth across generations, ensuring its traditions remain both exuberant and meaningful.
“I offer more than greetings; I offer gratitude. You have taught us that Holi is not merely a celebration but a revelation: that good shall always triumph over evil, and that the soul, like the earth itself, must be renewed and reborn with each passing season.”
Extending a warm welcome to members of the diaspora and to visitors who have journeyed from afar to share in Guyana’s cultural celebrations, he emphasised their enduring connection to the homeland.
“You are not visitors here. You are like the returning tide, the branches of the great tree bending back towards its roots. Your presence completes our circle.”
The President further reflected on the symbolism of Phagwah’s colours, emphasising their universal meaning and shared humanity.
“He added that the colours of Phagwah remain rich in meaning. “Is it not the same red that runs through every human vein, whether Hindu or Christian, Muslim or Indigenous, African or Indian or Chinese or Portuguese?”
“The blue that clings to our skin—is it not the same blue that arches over every Guyanese head, from the Rupununi savannahs to the Atlantic shore? The yellow, the green, the pink, the purple—they are not divisions. They are revelations. They are the visible proof that beauty lies not in uniformity but in the glorious, joyful mingling of differences.
President Ali also reminded the nation that the playful exchange of abeer and water carries a sacred message beyond mere celebration.
“When we gather in the streets to celebrate this joyous festival, when we chase each other with broom and water, when laughter rises like incense from every home and village road, we are not merely playing.”
Instead, he noted that the nation is upholding a sacred truth – that beneath the powder, beneath the skin, beneath every label the world has taught us to wear, we are one.
That, he noted, is the significance of Holi. “It does not ask for your beliefs. It simply invites you to belong.”
Concluding his message, the President extended his heartfelt wishes to all Guyanese.
“Happy Phagwah to all. May your lives be drenched in joy, your hearts filled with love, and the Guyana we build together worthy of the beauty we create today.”
As colours rise into the sky and communities gather to celebrate, the message echoes across the nation: many shades, many stories, yet one Guyana—united in hope, dignity and a shared destiny.
“May this Phagwah fill your hearts with peace, your homes with happiness, and your lives with the vibrant colours of hope and renewal. “Best Wishes on Phagwah from the Vice President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
