A BLAZE OF SPRING COLOUR

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

A blaze of spring colour

Thousands of people are expected to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi tonight.

Festivities will take place in Spinney Hill Park, Leicester, from 4pm to 8pm.

Japin Morjaria, 53, a member of Shree Hindu Temple, in St Barnabas Road, Leicester, said: "Holi is the representation of spring and the bringing of new life.

We will be sprinkling colour over people to symbolise the colours spring brings."

Japin expected about 3,000 people to turn up to the event which is open to everyone.

At the beginning of the festival a fire will be lit.

The fire represents people being able to start a new year spiritually by throwing their baggage away.