Also known as the Festival of Colours, Holi is a popular Hindu holiday with a rich history, celebrated most commonly in India. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the changing of the seasons from winter to spring.
This year Holi took place on Monday 25 March, seeing entire streets and towns turn red, blue, green and yellow as people throw coloured powder into the air and splash them on others. Each colour carries a meaning – red, for example, symbolises love and fertility, while green stands for new beginnings. People also splash water on each other in celebration. Water guns are used to squirt water, while balloons filled with coloured water are also flung from rooftops. Later in the day, families gather together for festive meals. It’s also common to distribute sweets among neighbours and friends.
Last week, Jo Phillips, Chief People Officer, and Ian Strangeway, VP Fleet People Operations, visited our Global Talent Partner, Carnival Support Services India (CSSI), and were fortunate to join in with some of the celebrations. Jo said:
“It’s always fantastic to spend time with our brilliant colleagues at CSSI. To be able to be there during Holi and join their celebrations this time made it even more special.
It was a real privilege. Kudos to Prasad, the CSSI leadership team and the employee engagement group Fungama for the positive, inclusive culture they nurture to get the best out of a really diverse team over there. They made us feel really welcome and we had a lot of fun!”
Jo Phillips, Ian Strangeway and the team at CSSI