Hindus and Muslims celebrate Fagu together in Nepalgunj

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, Mar. 15: The festival of  Fagu or Holi, traditionally celebrated as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim harmony, was again celebrated with joy and goodwill in Nepalgunj this year.

Hindus and Muslims in Nepalgunj united to celebrate the festival, applying colours each other, as shared by Nandalal Vaishya, former president of the Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He mentioned that this year, with both Fagu and Ramadan coinciding, members of both communities exchanged warm greetings and celebrated the festivals together.

Krishna Prasad Shrestha, another prominent figure in Nepalgunj, noted that after many years, this year, Holi was celebrated with even greater enthusiasm, with leaders from all religions participating. He added that it was heartening to see the unity during the festival, with everyone celebrating together.

Abdul Wahid Mansuri, a Muslim leader and central member of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, described Holi as a festival of harmony, which was celebrated with the same tradition of mutual participation across all religions. He emphasised the importance of celebrating festivals together, as a part of the culture of mutual respect.

Senior social activist and another Muslim leader, Parvez Ali Siddiqui, expressed his joy in celebrating Holi with Hindu friends again this year, as they have done every year in the past.

Local residents gathered in large numbers at various locations such as Sadar Line, Tribhuvan Chowk, BP Chowk, Dhambozhi Chowk, Setu Vik Chowk, Sadar Line, and New Road, where they celebrated Holi with music, dance, and various events.

This year, due to the overlap of Holi and Friday prayers for Ramadan, the security arrangements in Banke were heightened to ensure a peaceful celebration. Chief District Officer and head of the security committee, Dharmaraj Joshi, stated that over 1,000 security personnel were deployed to maintain order during the festivities and prayers.

A meeting of the Religious Harmony Committee had earlier decided to celebrate both Holi and the Friday prayers for Ramadan in a peaceful and brotherly manner.