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HOLI is observed with great fanfare by Hindus all over the world, and Gladstone is no exception.

It sounds like such a great idea: Get a bunch of people together and celebrate love by hurling colour powder in the air.

Like Christmas and Dyngus Day, the Hindu festival of Holi is just good fun and has been celebrated for years. 

Gladstone Indian Cultural Community hosted its own Holi event at Spinnaker Park at the Gladstone Marina, not just to celebrate love and compassion but also to showcase Indian culture and traditions.

Organisers Anjana Singh  Bhavin Maheta arranged gulal powder, the non-toxic, water-soluble and environmentally friendly natural colour that is thrown in the air, dusting visitors in vibrant colours.

Holi celebrations are particularly riotous in India as social rules are relaxed.

Holi celebrations begin on the eve of the festival with bonfires and prayers.

On the day of Holi, people throw colored powder and liquids at each other.

A common greeting during this time is, "Happy Holi."

The celebration of Holi is recounted in Hindu sacred texts and stories that have passed from generation to generation.

Holi commemorates the miraculous story of Prahlada, a young boy and a devoted follower of Vishnu.