Muslim women join Holi festivities at Mangere Hindu temple

Interfaith harmony was on full display during Holi celebrations at the Thiru Subramaniyar Aalayam Temple in south Auckland.

A group of Muslim women joined in the festivities at the event in Mangere organised by the Hindu Youth New Zealand (HYNZ). At least 200 people turned up at the South Indian temple on March 12, 2023, bringing together New Zealand’s diverse communities and strengthening race relations.

Participants of all ages celebrated with much fanfare by applying gulal (coloured powder), drenching each other in coloured water, dancing to folk music and songs and enjoying delicious Indian cuisine.

The temple’s founding member Ilango Krishnamoorthy said the Muslim women weren’t involved in the revelry until he saw a couple of them standing in a corner at the temple just observing the festivities.

“They told me they were waiting for their friends. Since I wanted to make them comfortable, I told the ladies of my group to come and apply colour on them. After about an hour, I saw more Muslim ladies coming in and celebrating the festival enthusiastically. Seeing that was the most significant achievement of this year’s celebration. I couldn't be happier," said Krishnamoorthy.

HYNZ President Murali Krishna Magesan stressed the event's aim was not only to bring together diverse Hindu communities in Auckland but to create an inclusive platform for people of different faiths.

“Observing everyone coming together reaffirmed the diversity and inclusiveness this event promoted. We were pleased to see people from various faiths, ethnic backgrounds and cultures come together to celebrate this festival at a Hindu mandir (temple). The interfaith aspect of the festival was a real success. The leadership that Thiru Subramaniyar Aalayam Temple has shown to help foster social cohesion is commendable," said Magesan.

Sushmita Mishra, Holi Festival 2023 Coordinator, HYNZ, said inclusive events like these bring the community together and “diversity becomes our collective strength”. The family-friendly event was free of charge and open to all. The meals were vegetarian and smoking and drinking were not allowed.

One of the attendees, Jayashree Iyer, said, "I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Holi celebration at Thiru Subramaniyar Aalayam Temple. Once colour is applied to the face, everyone is the same. This was reflected in the celebration, where we saw people of different religions and ethnicities come together to celebrate the spirit of Holi.

Hindu Youth New Zealand is a youth-led organisation that helps develop young leaders in the country. Through capability and capacity-building initiatives, such as national conferences, workshops, webinars, cultural events and mentorship programmes, young people are supported to reach their potential and have an opportunity to contribute to the wider New Zealand society.