Music, colours, sweets, Holi a hit with foreign tourists in Goa

Foreign tourists celebrated Holi in Goa's Panaji, playing with colours, exchanging sweets and dancing to peppy, Bollywood numbers.

"Holi Mubarak! I see such joy in the day today. One can see how much celebration of freedom, equality and beauty that everyone individually is. It is very lovely to be here," said a tourist from Europe.

Holi is a Hindu festival but is celebrated by people of all faiths and caste. Marking the onset of spring season, the occasion is symbolic of joy and victory of good over evil.

People smear colours on each other, blurring divides and highlighting unity in diversity.

The Holi event in Panaji was organised by a local committee at the famous Azad Maidan and saw the participation of people from all walks of life.

"We have been organising the Holi event in our committee for 15 years.. It's the festival of colours, an occasion when everyone comes together to celebrate it," the organiser of the event told ANI.

Goa, a resort state near Mumbai, is famous for its beaches, Portuguese culture and churches. It remains a hotspot for both domestic and foreign tourists.

"We haven't got any problem with religion. I am Catholic and my friends are Hindus. There have never been any differences. In Goa, our culture doesn't have differences," said BJP legislator Atanasio Monserrate.

People across the country are celebrating Holi with enthusiasm. The festival is celebrated as a day of spreading joy and love.