A different Holi for the Harijans

People of the Harijan community in the town experienced a very different kind of Holi yesterday when people from all walks of life went to their colony to celebrate the festival with them.

The event was organised by youth organisation Gen YZ.

“People from the privileged society never go to the under-privileged community to share the feeling of harmony during Holi festival, so we organised this event to remove social distances,” Md Humayun Kabir, group leader of Gen YZ, told this correspondent

“We intended to celebrate Holi with the Harijans, who are called 'untouchables,' to bring social harmony,” he added.

“It was a new experience for me when Harijan women covered me with colour and I did the same to them,” said Boby Kundu, a student of Pabna Edward College and a member of Gen YZ.

“Harijans keep our environment clean, but we never accept them in the civilised society. We have created the barrier of social caste and call them untouchables,” said Binoy Jati Kundu, secretary of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikko Parishad.

Champa Rani, an elderly woman of the Harijan community, said she never imagined that such a programme would be held for them.

“We are called untouchables and nobody comes to us. But now many people who belong to the civilised society have come to us and shared the festival with us through throwing abir (coloured powder) at each other. This is a rare honour for us,” Champa Rani said.