Holi in Surinam

Holi is celebrated with lot of mirth and excitement in Surinam which has a large number of Indians. Hindus constitute about 35-40% of the population, an important part of this is people who immigrated from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Just as in India, people here take great delight in spraying colour on each other and singing Holi songs. Holika is also burnt on the eve of Holi which is symbolic of victory of good over evil.

There is a similarity in the way Holi is celebrated in Surinam and that in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Here too, people plant a castor oil plant weeks before the festival and this plant is burnt later as Holika. Between these days people engage themselves in nightly chowtaal and taan singing at each other's homes or at the temples.

Delicacies like bara, gulgula, phulourie, bigany, mango or tamarind chutney, potato ball, prasad, channa, ghoja, mahambhoog, kheer or sweet rice, among others beverage are prepared and served at the temples where large Holi gatherings takes place.