Well at last I want to say that I welcome friendly remarks from Pakistanis and hope peace prevails.

Ramesh, what you say is not public knowledge. How can I trust you?

It is so refreshing to see some happiness in our terrorized motherland.

I agree.

Can't agree with Abdur Rehman more! Things will get better with more openness and education. And I have every reason to believe that there might be some low moments along the way, but with democracy in both the countries we will see friendlier India and Pakistan.

Yes, because that shows that if there are more Muslims in India than there are in Pakistan, then how is the population of Muslims in India decreasing?

Mr. Anil, I agree with N. Sharma...please don't dilute our holidays by calling them "Spring Festival." Holi has a religious significance; you can't deny this fact.

Very nice Nasser! Yes we always dreamed about a peaceful relationship with Pakistan! And, we common people can resolve this problem if we get an opportunity!

Why are we using terms "Hindus" and "Muslims". We need to use terms Indian and Pakistani only. We shouldn't recognize people by their names, religion, race or colour.

We celebrate Holi also in Karachi, Look for your self http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nupISVYFFi8

I congratulate Dawn group for giving space to the festival which is exclusively Hindu festival and Sikh to celebrate. Normally people feel that Pakistan newspapers don't give much importance to the festivals of other religion. this is really commendable.

Well Said.....we in India are very racist and it is so evident and engrained that we don't even take notice.

Excellent Ahmed.

@Ahmed The most cogent and powerful post I have come across. Very Nice!!!!

"Oh I am surprised Holi is celebrated in Pakistan" Wow, no wonder if people are fed constant propaganda they would be surprised to know that big bad Pakistan is not bereft of such festivities as holi. Sad but true. Good to know that Dawn is helping dispel misconceptions. On a side note, I think Holi is a festival that is unrivalled in its colourfulness. It is really cool. Happy holi to to all!

Holi does not go unnoticed in Pakistan. You have some erroneous misconceptions that need to be cleared; I suggest you at least read Dawn more often.

Great .. What a thought and very well communicated in best possible language. Hats off!

Eid Mubarak in advance to all Pakistani people.

Spot on.

Religion is changeable, Genes are not.

I am not a Muslim but know tons about It. My mother always wanted to know why I was 'breaking the fast' every day in Ramzan without actually fasting? Because the food was brilliant. There is one God. Routes to him are as many as there are humans..

I was born in Pakistan and have been living here in Karachi for over a decade. I belong to a minority sect within mainstream Muslim faith and I can't recall how many Hindus, Christians and Parsis etc. I have met. You probably landed in some other country... :)

Is there any good reason to brag over "more Muslims in India than in Pakistan" part?

Yes Amit, you're right. But we shouldn't be heart-broken. Keep looking at the majority of life-loving people on both sides. Long live India and Pakistan.

Perfect synopsis!

In south India we don

Excellent.

"Keval" It looks that you did not get the point here. I am not commenting on your personal experience... But here we are talking about Holi festival in Pakistan. Celebration of a Hindu festival in Muslim majority country of Pakistan and participation by the people from all the religion gives a feeling of harmony, love and brotherhood.

Muslim population in India has increased almost 10 times since 1947, and even currently the growth of Muslim population is more than other communities.

I think Ahmed you need to Educate yourself first and be respectful of other people and their faiths. Secularism or not ...this is humanism!!!!!which you lack and is not "Islamic" Huzoor went to functions of other faiths and guess what you are wrong. We don't need Taliban like people...please move to FATA!!!

Hi, Nice Holi celebration in Pakistan , I am too a regular reader of DAWN, I think it is one of the best newspaper. I still remember how wonderfully our Indian Cricket Team was welcomed in 2004 during India Pakistan friendship series, how Pakistani crowds were cheering for Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathy balaji. Even when India won the test series, crowds were still cheering for India. After seeing that I had changed my way of thinking for Pakistani people, we all are same, we love cricket, Hindi films, Hockey and Aishwarya Rai. :-)

I must salute The Dawn for bringing out articles such as these to remind Muslims and others that all human beings are equal in the eyes of God and if we start discriminating on the basis of religion or any other basis, soon we would start discriminating amongst "ourselves" i.e Muslims versus Muslims. Islam is submission to God, pure and simple. It does not give us the right to judge people (The big Judge already exists, has all the facts and is fair). Allah, as Muslims believe, is Rab-ul-Aalameen (i.e God of all humanity). Also, The Quaid himself said on Independence Day that in Pakistan everyone has the right to practice his/her religion and all the rights available to any Pakistani. The advantage of such news reports and blogs is that the true nature of the ordinary public comes to light. Sanjeev, one of the blogger, is right in saying that one photo of Holi in a Pakistani newspaper does not prove that Pakistanis are tolerant people. However, I am sure he will not dispute the number of positive responses from the Pakistani bloggers. The positive responses of the Indian bloggers were so gratifying to read and long may it continue. The average Pakistani is a very tolerant person. Pakistan Zindabad, India Zindabad; in fact all humanity Zindabad!

First time ever in Pakistani media! Never too late! It shows that Pakistani's are learning too from its neighboring country India! We in India always celebrated all different types of festivals with all communities. We never realized that we are different! We know that we are humans and Indians first! Going to each others house, eating their fresh cooked food cooked by their moms! And, all this played a great role in making India secular!!

A pleasant read! It is ironic that an average Muslim Pakistani does not know much about the context of festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Easter and Christmas! And yet we can talk about inter-faith harmony, we should learn and respect other cultures and be a part of such joyous occasions.

@Ahmed Finally I found a worm among humans we have lots of same creaters in India also... long live India and Pakistan

Pakistan was created in the name of religion where all Muslims & non-Muslims were supposed to be given equal rights and opportunity. Unfortunately, with the advent of a new Islam by Zia ul Haq things started to change. Now, we are one of the most corrupt & ruthless people in all respects with very high emphasis on Islamic forms/shapes but zero emphasis on the core essence of Islam.

Excellent point! Other things. - All pakisthanis were Indians once up on a time - All Indians were Hindus once up on a time I leave rest of the imagination to you. May be Humans are creating flaw in the way religion is being used and everytime that flaw becomes a cancer, God brings a new change.

Wish all citizens of both countries peace and happiness! Throwing color is better than throwing bombs at each other!

Good to see people realise how our perceptions are a bit stained when we view each other. Lets stop proving to each other that who on which side of the border is better off! I am sure both sides have their fair share of goods as well as bad's - but lets focus on accepting each other (as much as we can) and strive to improve things between us. (P.S. Personally I have come across many Indians when I was living in Europe for a couple of years and I found most of them almost as comfortable to talk to as my Pakistani friends - Yes we are different - But yes we have so much in common as well)

I live in UK, but all my very close friends are Hindu, and I am proud to have these friends. We have never brought religion into our friendship, which is now well over 52 years old. I only wish that the "So called religious and political leaders" read through this thread, to notice unity amongst people, and take that a step further, to eradicate extremist in both countries. Holy Mubarak to all.

That was a heart-warming comment! Nayyar Ahmad.

Very encouraging and optimistic ;)

Indeed this is a new Dawn for us (Indians)! It is heartening to know among the sounds of gun & those traumatizing blackouts, people have enthusiasm to play Holi! With changing times, we can hope for a better Pakistan, a country full of values, brotherhood & old world charm. I am also hoping that we Indians will get a chance to pass on our gratitude to Pakistan for doing whatever they can to stop the terrorism from growing further in the form of providing our latest acquired knowledge (software etc) to Pakistani govt/companies for betterment of their people/society.

Congrats for sharing this picture that put the awesome impact on others. We are (India & Pakistan) together happily.

Mr.Nayyar Ahmed. I really from bottom of my heart I like your comment. I wish if every one from Pakistan and India they think like what your thinking this blood sharing shall stop and I am very much sure will like brothers and sisters. I have so many Pakistani friends they are so good. I really like them. We calibrate Eid and Diwali to gather. I will never feel shame on me by saying Salaam Walikum or Allah o Akbar. We all are from one good and same blood. I simply want to say lets live like brother wood. Jay from Kenya

I have mixed feelings after reading about Holi celebrations in Pakistan. One feeling is of happiness and hope that celebrating Holi will encourage brotherhood. Other feeling is of sadness that people of the land where a part of Holi started have forgotten that Holi originated from their land. Holi celebration has two parts. First part is burning of Holi and the second part is playing with colours the day after Holi is burnt. The Holi burning part is widely believed to have been started after Bhakt Prahalad's bua - Holika, tried to help kill Prahalad by taking her to a pyre where she was burnt and Prahalad stayed alive. This incident took place at a place called Mool Sthan (Snskrit for Original Place). Mool Sthan's name got distorted over time and it is now known as Multan which is in Pakistan.

AOA. Well I want to ask my Muslim brothers and sisters not to be deceived by such articles which aims to promote secularism among Muslims. My brother and sisters please educate yourself regarding the Islamic principle on greeting non-Muslims on their festivals.

Yes also its great for hooking up.

Congratulations to Pakistanis who are fighting narrow minded extremists. May next year more people will join holi celebrations. Lets show the world that we are a decent people.

Things will improve between religions if Muslims stop treating non muslims as kafirs, Christians stop denouncing everyone else as pagans, Jews stop claiming they are the chosen people and Hindus stop treating their own dalits with disdain. Then, Holi can really become just fun, with no religious baggage. Daulat

I was quite delighted to read the comments from Dawn readers, especially from Pakistani Muslim brothers. I think slowly I am changing my perception about Pakistan and Pakistanis. In India and Pakistan, many people belonging to majority community are supportive towards their minority compatriots. I am an Indian and I can vouch for that. Yes, you have Taliban and we too have Taliban-like people. Both these peoples in our countries are obstacle for peace. Let's strive for the peace and defeat its enemies.

Salute to Dawn..............and my Pakistan Brothers and Sisters I am Indian hindu but regular reader of Dawn (one of best news paper). I pray to Ram for prosperous Pak... I know we Indians cant be developed with our brother Pakistan ...I feel lots of pain when read balsts in Pak...I hate those who contaminate Colour of Love...... Jai India Jai Pakistan.............

Mr. Nayyar Ahmad Sahib, I wish that Muslim, Sikhs and Hindus should live together peacefully as they were living prior to August 1947. Let all Thaker, Saeed be side tracked as they try maximum to dismantle the thin layer of trust among the communities. India is like a great bouquet which comprises of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. They all live in peaceful coexistence.

Salute to Dawn..............and my Pakistan Brothers and Sisters I am Indian but regular reader of Dawn (one of best news paper). I pray to God for prosperous Pakistan... I know we Indians cant be developed with our brother Pakistan ...I feel lots of pain when read about blasts in Pakistan...I hate those who contaminate Colour of Love...... Jai India Jai Pakistan.............

One picture of Holi in Pakistan doesn't make it tolerant.

Hi Nayyar Ahmed , Very glad to read your post ...

What a beautiful festival, I wish its celebration were more widespread. Hindu, Muslim... whatever. Cant tossing colours at one another be just a simple celebration, and not an abomination against someone else's faith? Lets all do as Ryan says, and declare a "Holi War," instead of a "Holy War."

I have been reading Dawn for years now, though intermitently. So far I have not read reports on any festivals other than Islamic festivals in Pakistan. If this is not first time, I may have missed previous ones. Any way, it is good that Dawn reported on Holi festivals, or for that matter any festivals of religions other than Islam. For that they deserve congratulations and a wish that they lead not only the Pakistan but also other Islamic nations in opening up to acquiring tolerance to other religions. Also encourage every muslims to intermingle with non-muslims fearlessly and productively. The very cherished principles of Kherat, Raham and Universal Brotherhood preached by Islam shall not be narrowed down to the followers of Islam only. It was never intended that way. It shall be re-expanded to be inclusive of all human beings. That will bring the blissful peace to all on the earth followed by developments in which poverty will start fading away.

Wonderful! So nice to see this article on your website. May Peace and Happiness come to both countries!

Best Wishes to Dawn to lead not only the nation of Pakistan but also other Islamic nation in opening up to acquiring tolerance to other religions. That will be the fulfilment of cherished principles of Kherat, Raham and Universal Brotherhood preached by Islam. It is time that these principles be applied to include all on the earth. That will bring lasting peace on earth followed by development in which the poverty will fade away.

@ fawad I agreed with your previous post but I guess its now immature on your part to say about Muslims of India. Support your statement with some facts please. I have no hard feelings.

Surprised to know that there are some Hindus left in Pakistan. Here in USA I asked my Pakistani neighbor whether Holi is celebrated in Pakistan and he said No. He is from Multan and as per the history Hirnakashap was king of Multan (Mul Sthan) the original place and today nobody in Multan knows about it. They know every thing about Arabs history and not of their own. I have been reading Dawn since last month and was very happy to know that there is a moderate forward looking newspaper in Pakistan please keep it up. Pankaj

Issue is not with common people of Pakistan or India. Issue is between our politicians, how else they would get the aid from all over the world Indian claming Pakistan for every Bomb blast, Pakistan blaming India for supporting extremist. It is all a chess game played by both side. We as a true Muslim do not hate Hindus, Jews, or Christians, Thanks Politics for messing our Nations. If like it please make a comment.

This is surely brilliant and calls for raising a glass of sparkling apple juice. About time we came to our senses. Food for thought: If Muslims can live in harmony with Hindus in India and Hindus can live happily with Muslims in Pakistan, why was India divided in the first place!

Look up the burning of Holika, Holi is celeberated for that event.

The message of every religion or festival is the same which is peace and love... I agree that Pakistan is a great nation who have people of different faith and it really make us feel proud.. I really wish and hope that every community may be allowed to live their lives according to their faith and beliefs including the Ahmadiyya community.

The population of Muslims in India has actually increased.

Historically, India never had a concept of religion. And, by "India" I mean the cultural entity, not the political entity. So, I mean what is now Pakistan as well. Therefore, most of Indian culture and tradition is not religious at all. Case in point is Holi. Holi was celebrated independent of "religion" by all, historically speaking. And, that includes the ancestors of modern-day Pakistanis. In the last 50 years, Pakistan has tried very hard to distant itself from their cultural and ancestral roots. Desperately trying to become part of the "middle east" and cleansing themselves of their Indian roots. This leads to a great loss of our own culture. That is reason why Holi and Basant are not celebrated much in Pakistan today. And, classical music is dying a fast death, forgetting that Muslims were among the greatest exponents of this art form in the past. I appeal to Pakistanis to reclaim what is ours and embrace our own history. After all, the greatest Sanskrit scholars such as Panini were from Pakistan. The greatest Sanskrit works (like the Rig Veda) were written in Pakistan. And, the greatest ancient universities (such as Taxila) are in Pakistan. Let

Liking or disliking Holi should not be a criterion to judge the level of tolerance. I am Indian, born and raised among Hindus, but I hate Holi. This is the occasion for sadist hooligans to take on anyone irrespective of consent and smear the unwilling victim with everything they can lay their hands on. It is almost impossible to hide from hooligans, and even the close friends turn into one on this day. It is also opportunity for various Mohalla Holi committees to force peaceful citizens to cough out money in the name of HOLI CHANDA, otherwise they would deface the homes. It is only when I started large intake of cannabis on Holi that I could tolerate it.

To all those Indians who are saying that Hindus are maltreated needs to have a look at how Dalits are treated in India. Dalits also known as the untouchables (touching them is a crime) face all kinds of abuses in India. Hindus in Pakistan are Dalits. They are not treated any worse than they are in India!

Holi has been celebrated for many years in Pakistan but the media (and that too just DAWN apparently so far) has decided to cover it.

I can not totally ignore Prof Ramesh comment. Previously I thought Hindus living in India are better off than in any other countries outside India. But the way things going in India from what we see and read in media, I can not see Hindus living in other countries are worse off either. Anything done and said in India quickly polarizes the community (quicker than any other country) - which is not good for mental health of a nation.

Khiza ki zikar na kharon ki baat karte hain Main anewala baharon ki baat karte hain. Blooms and blossoms from Inida for my Pakistani brothers/sisters Sudip

It is the symbol of Unity.

This is indeed good. You are right. It is an eye opner as we in India felt that no body can play Holi. But this picture and your story makes me feel real good.

About time we put all differences aside and live a multi cultural life with love and tolerance. If many Muslims can celebrate Eid in India why don

Relax mate. Let's enjoy Holi. Pakistan is the best country in the world and people of Pakistan are very very happy. HOLI HAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII>>>>>>...... Cheers an Indian

@Fahad Sorry Fahad if I hurt you. I don

The Dawn- The Real Hero The "Real Hero" of the entire episode is this newspaper "The Dawn". As we know, a picture is worth a thousand words. The Picture of Holi in Pakistan is an eye opener for many people like us in India. The world will survive only by love, not by hatred. See, how this newspaper is putting forth its views on Basant or Holi so fearlessly. You can notice from this Blog, how people of India and Pakistan are having similar views and having sympathy, love and respect for each other. One can't but feel awe at the courage of The Dawn in opposing the fanatics in Pakistan. The same courage is required in India by Indian Newspaper. Here I put one question- How many Indian Newspapers opposed the exclusion of Pakistani players from IPL? But on the other hand there is a blog here on Dawn "Congrats Sachin". I must admit, The Dawn has stolen the show over its Indian counterparts. Once again, I congratulate The Dawn for leading the march towards the truth & the light very boldly.

Well said. As far as being a Pakistani is concerned, we all are equal. There is no Minority or Majority. Wish people of all religions, sects and nationalities understand this simple fact.

Mr. G.A., There are more Muslims in India than there are in Pakistan..I think this face alone says it all!

There are some misunderstood view on why basant or kite flying was banned. Basant itself was not banned just kite flying due to safety reasons. A number of people died due to some people being overtly competitive in bringing down other kites by using fibre glass in the thread. Believe it or not this led to a number of deaths in Lahore as the roofs of houses double up as gardens/recreation areas. No one banned basant - I hope that's clear

Very good initiative taken by Dawn. Such steps will help us all come closer. Dawn should keep giving projection to all minorities living in Pakistan. We are all Pakistani. Keep it up! Goga Nalaik

Come on buddy, just read the posts and clean up your mind.

I am a regular reader of Dawn due to its unbiased views .... news of celebration of holi and comments of various readers is a pleasant surprise .... It appears day is not far off when instead of spending our hard earned money on borders we shall start spending on poor people on both sides....

Dear Sister Sana I personally want to salute you cause of your thinking about religious festival of all religions, mean to say in your sight all the humans who belong from different religions but all are equal for you. If everyone has the same thinking like yours, I hope that definitely this world become a home of peace...!!! :) What do you say about my comments and what do you think after it??? If I wrote any thing wrong or if mine thinking is wrong so please pardon me for that...!!! thanks Regards: Suresh

Brother, why just Hindus and Christians? In India, it is celebrated by all and sundry. To be true, this festival had a hindu beginning, but as of now, it has crossed all religious barriers and we all look forward to this day. Just pray, Pakistan Government does not fall into the hands of clergy and ban the 'Basant' festival which is the Pakistani equivalent of Holi.

The picture is indeed a reason to rejoice. Minorities share the same land with us and we must be courageous enough to give them enough room to them to express themselves religious and culturally.

Sir Though these are eye opening facts and comments for us here in this country, I wonder why this sort of Muslim-Hindu brotherhood in Pakistan in the form of celebrating each other's festivals was not being reported earlier? Is it a new phenomenon or does it indicate a change in the policy of the media if these festivals were being celebrated earlier too? But I believe it is never too late. Here in our country, we hardly made such a difference. Just one example. I had a Muslim Chairman of a Science department at Roorkee University, but my respect and reverence for him as a teacher and guide was never compromised for any reason. We used to go to his residence for Eid- Mubarak and share the sweets and he would always greet and join us in the celebrations of Diwali and Dussehra. In any case, it is indeed a very pleasant surprise to go through the contents of this blog and to read the comments of people of Pakistan as well. Hopefully I wish that it is not a one time event. Thanks BNA

Holi and other festivals from different religions make people come closer.

Delightfully surprised by this article. Both sides need to think that there is no bigger thing than humanity. Internet is a great medium, as it creates a world without borders. We now have access to views of the other side. I hope the internet can be used by citizens of both countries to understand each other views and change perceptions on both sides. As with any movement it has to start from the common man!!!

I got an impression from some of above Indian readers comments that "Hindus are living limited lives at Pakistan", though I am Muslim and my ever best friends at Pakistan were Hindus :) we have family terms, I never missed any festival like Holi, Devali etc... even my Hindu friends were regular on Eid days. I never felt shame on saying "Jay Ram" to them, and even they were use to say "Salam"... at our school (F.G High school, Peshawar) the most NAAT KHUWANI award winners were Hindu, I remember one of my best friend Ramesh Kumar was always invited to recite Quran in school's assembly...! and even their Muslim friends were use to go Mander and eat together... All above is not 50 years old story, I did my Metric (10th grade) in 1994, the tradition is still continuing.

Buddy why don't you come here and play with us.....we will be happy to have you here!!

As an Indian its good to see Pakistan celebrating Holi. Though the ban on basant was puzzling - till I read the column by Irfan Husain on this site. To all Indians, check it out. You will realise its only some misguided mullahs sadly in power who think this way. The ordinary Pakistani has nothing against it.

Check out the post by Irfan Husain on this site. You will see light. I did.

I am an Indian, and I really want to thank Fahad for his comment and everyone else's also, to Danish I want to say that it's not about education, its about information, both the countries lack the information about each other because there are no discrete channel of communication between people of both the countries and we can't trust on news channels we all know that. Please I urge positive people in both the countries to come together and open channels of communication in whatever way!!

Thanks...You are wonderful, secular and lessons the way Modern pakistan should go. I hope the situation will be normal in Pakistan in near future and developments will go at the same pace of other rising countries.

Raja... A few that are killing their own people does not make Pakistan a fundamentalist environment. You obviously have a lot to learn about Pakistan. Happy Holi..

Thanks Fahad. Just don't understand where our neighbors get their education/information from.

It is a fact that just like Basant, Holi used to be celebrated by Muslims till a few decades ago. However, as time passes each non-Arabic celebration is increasingly being viewed to be non-islamic by the Muslims. Even Basant celebrations have been officially banned in Pakistan. When we live in the subcontinent, shouldn't we celebrate the harvest season that has brought joy to generations living in these lands even before they were any 'Hindus' (which itself was an Arabic term for people living here). The celebration of ancient festival of 'Navroze' by Iranians is a case in point.

Thanks for your best wishes, Patel! Just to add my comments here that Hindus here in Pakistan are really spending a respectable life without any fear. They even were Chief Justice of Supreme Court and one of the best dress designers of Pakistan, Deepak Perwani is a Hindu and people over here love to buy his creations.

I'm not sure if the statistics are true because what I have heard from various people (mainly Hindu) the percentages vary from 20% to 15% and now I can see that one of them is quoting 5 % :). Whatever the statistics are, the main reason behind reduction in all minority religions (including Hindus) is that immigration process is bit easier for them as compared to mainstream Muslim community. That is why Hindus remaining in Pakistan are either those who have long established businesses in Sindh province (where security issues are very low) or those who cannot afford to immigrate to other countries. Reasons behind reduction in Hindu population are not what you and many other Hindus often speculate. [:)]

May this type of festival bring us close we can rethink for our brotherhood. I surprise that in Pakistan, Hindu can celebrate Holi easy.

From the thoughts you expressed here. You seems very high spirited person. May God bless you and all Pakistani bro/sis many fold.

'Holy wars' between India and Pakistan should be replaced by 'Holi wars'!! Throwing color is better than throwing bombs at each other! But vested interests in both our countries will never let that happen.

Well said.

I am sure that festival like Holi which has nothing to do with any religion goes unnoticed in Pakistan and people there have vague view as it is a Hindu festival, its not the people responsible for it, its their Generals and politicians go to any extend to put poison in minds of people. I must congratulate Dawn for publishing a news on Holi. The only newspaper in Pakistan that I like is Dawn, not because it speaks against the atrocities committed by Pakistani authorities but also try their best to publish unbiased opinion(even be it against Indians). Eid festival is a religious and celebrated in Indian both by millions of Hindus and Muslims.

"Hindus living on other side of India are better off"? give me a break. Hindus in Pakistan are a minority and their status is always limited. I think Mr. professor should read more ! Anyway, Happy Holi to all.

This whole row comments shows that we know little about each other. We both have a special distinguished history which no other country in the world carries. Long live Pakistan , Long live Hindustan

Dear All, Great to know that Holi was celebrated in Pakistan. Wish all citizens of the both countries peace and happiness! Both the countries need all the positive messages. Remember our genes are the same! By dividing any country you cannot change history, folk music, culture and food. All the Best! Sanjeev

In my college days, in Karachi, I used to sit on the bench and on that I had on one side a Parsi student and on the other side a Hindu student. It never occurred to me or to them that religion had anything to do between us. With all the other students we used to go out for picnics, play, swim and have fun. I am talking about 90s. Now that we have not seen each other for more than a decade I have the same respect for my friends and I am sure that they too would feel the same.

I have a memory too, in the city of now 18 million people. I never came across with the "holy" festival, signaling the beginning of the spring. I enjoyed that by watching Indian films. I also loved Kishore Kumar singing the holy songs too. In my visit to India, I intend to come across with the spring festival with all the colors all around. Of course, with the songs of Kishore Kumar songs in the background. Until then wonderful moment, I play the holy in my own head. Why not?

Hi Prof. Ramesh, Nice to know you are happy to be in Pakistan, but you cannot comment Hindus are better in Pakistan then in India simply because you have not stayed in India, same as we cannot comment we are better in India then Pakistan because we have not stayed there. Do not comment on things you have not experienced, Say you are happy staying in Pakistan, that great. We are happy staying in India. Remember even the Beduin are happy staying in the desert harsh condition, everybody is happy in their own birth place, for the Arabs of Africa their country is the greatest a Regards. Richie

It was 25% and yes it has been reduced to 1% and soon there will be no Hindus left in Pakistan. I wonder if this news report is even true, because when I visited Pakistan five years back I could not find a single Hindu over there.

Good satisfaction for Indians who living in India.

I am an Indian but agree with Fahad and its really amazing to see the Holi festival in Pakistan. It just like the eighth wonder found in Pakistan.

I agree with Fahad. I have two very close Hindu friends where I study in Pakistan. We all eat & hangout together, share mutual respect & I am proud to say that they are more patriotic than others. Cheers & happy Holi

Happy color day to all Hindu friends around the world, and I really respect that dawn group has concerns about the minorities festivals, its just makes our society more healthy, dignified and fair to wards its common people.

Happy holi to all brothers and sisters around the world. No one is better off anywhere in this world, its just we take sides to make ourselves believe that I am better off than the other. We Pakistanis and you Indians are same in everything. I live in Australia and you guys cant Imagine how does I feel if any Indian gets attacked here or get killed. For outsiders we look same, eat same and talk same. The Sooner we understand this that united we are strong divided we fall, sooner we will succeed in everything.

Happy Holi to all earthlings, to all humans. Dawn is the best newspaper in the world!!! -Indian

holi is religious festival don't misled people by saying it has noting to do with religion (it is related to vishnu's AVTAR of NARSHIMHA). despite it's being a religious festival people of all religion should celebrate holi similarly other religious festival like EID and CHRISTMAS should be celebrated by all religion these kind of celebration of others festival adds to the age old tradition of religious tolerance. Holi also marks the of Hindu new year (diwali is widely believed to be Hindu new year which is not correct) and also not all Hindus celebrate holi it is mainly North Indian festival in south nobody celebrates holi it's not even public holiday.

Only way to survival is to respect others and be proud of your own culture/religion. One wishes our leaders also had that kind of thoughts instead of grouping up and dividing people for their on ambitions.

Everyone has a right to enjoy and have fun irrespective of the religious leanings, cast, creed, race or color of the skin. Holi is celebrated to usher the spring in and also as per the mythology to celebrate the victory of good forces over the evil. I am touched that many people are surprised at the fact that Hindus do celebrate holi in Pakistan. This is nothing but the result of a generation which was fed on hatred and lies about people living on both sides. Please everyone make at least one friend from across the border and that small act of yours will bring peace to the region and joy to your next generations. All the politicians who thrive on your ignorance will have to follow and listen. God bless.

I'll personally take these pictures with a bit of a salt! I don't always believe what I see. I wouldn't be too surprised if these pictures were simply taken in India and published in Dawn to uplift Pakistan's tarnished international image due to various reasons!

Hello Prof Ramesh, It is nice to know that you believe that...but please don't be biased. I haven't heard of many top of Hindu officials/diplomats/judges in Pakistani politics except Bhagwandas and Gyan Chand (recently). I strongly disagree with you here!

Hats off to Dawn for sharing this picture. I grew up in Lyallpur during 50s and there were still Hindu and Sikh families in our neighborhood. I remember this festival being celebrated in "Dharam Shala" areas which is part of Peoples Colony now. Now I live in Houston and we (Hindu, Muslim, Sikhs and others) celebrate all the festivals together here in Texas. We flew kites just 2 weeks ago celebrating BASANT festival. Few Mullahs did become furious, but thousands of Pakistanis and Indians showed up. We play cricket together and cheer for each other team right here in Houston. Peace.

Thanks guys ...good to know that Hindus too are given the respect they deserve not as 'Hindus' but as humans....

Please Please don't spoil festival mood by bring religion in between. Let's enjoy Hoil doesn't matter which religion you belong to. Wish you all a very happy holi and Hats off to Dawn for posting this blog on its website.

Good to know that Holi is being celebrated in Pakistan too .... well even to know that Hindus still exist in Pakistan :) !!! I being an Indian, dislike the fact but have to say that Dawn is one of the best newspapers. You are doing a good job Dawn .... very good job ...

Thank you for enlightening us Mr. Asad. It is nice to know that sentiments like these exists. Speaking from my own experience, the reason why I think Mr. Rahul may have said that is because: We hear of very few prominent Pakistani Hindus in limelight: Bhagwandas and Deepak Parwani are the only ones I have heard of; and I always wondered why so few people of the minority have made it to the top in Pakistan when in India we had various Muslim presidents, movie stars, musicians, businessman, and politicians. But overall, I believe there are good and bad people in every country, race, and religion. Unfortunately, the evil ones ruin it up for all.

We should celebrate all festivals of different religions in Pakistan, that would increase harmony and peace will prevail. I have celebrated holi with many Hindus here in England, never got a chance to do that in Pakistan. Lets put these differences aside and have fun with out Christians and Hindu brothers. Who are Pakistanis first!

As an Indian, I want to thank Dawn for showing a different side of Pakistan. I never knew Holi was celebrated in Pakistan. Happy Holi to all!

Ravi, We do not put a price on the joyous celebrations of our people. Few buckets of water can get rid of the Holi powder.

Good sign but Pak govt. media needs do much more for better ties. This is just a drop of water in ocean but eventually we lead to good.

Very heart warming and encouraging comments. Thanks, all participants. However, the objective of the blog was "Can festivals such as Holi help people transcend religious and social distinctions? What

Irrespective of our own religion, we should be able to participate in others religious festivities. We should not be narrow minded. If there is one God and that God is everywhere, then what is the difference being in either a masjid or a church. Let us grow up. Let us play holi.

Wo Wo Wo ??? Is this really a Pakistani news paper talking about Holi ? I follow Pakistani Media / comedy and somewhat Politics. I am connected to Pakistan emotionally in my heart as my family migrated from Pakistan in 1947 to India. I must say Pakistani Media has COME A LONG WAY compared to other entities of the country. Talking about Sachin or Holi in Pakistan comes as a surprise to Indians who think that Pakistani is very closed and emotional Society. Irrespective of what I hear from Pakistan Politicians or analysts I still believe that Pakistan and India are very similar. Sindh and Punjab are big parts of Pakistan and India. Urdu and Hindi are sister languages. We have similar Genes. Keep it up Pak Media !

I am an Indian and I am a regular Dawn reader, I wish the whole pakistan is like this fair and balanced.

HAPPY HOLI xD

Thanks for Holi picture in Pakistan by Dawn Newspaper.

Hindus in Pakistan are and call themselves Pakistanis and not Indians, they are part of the community. Happy Holi to them. Celebrate and have fun in the warm and lovely land of Pakistan!

I am an Indian and well said Fahad. It was immature on Rahul parts to make those comments. Wish happy Holi to one and all.

If Pakistanis are so much against 'Hindu India', why do they celebrate Holi. After all it is a Hindu festival.

Happy Holi to you in Pakistan. We are all one, really. We look alike, act alike and for God sake think alike. We need to find ways to prosper together. That is when we need to remove people like Qureshi and other characters who spread hatred and teach violence and terrorism. Proud of Dawn and Pakistani friends sharing Holi.

Many thanks to Dawn for keeping the spirit of secularism alive in Pakistan, and running a well representative and impartial media outlet! To my friends Fahad and Monsoor, a viable and humane society does not come about on its own, it is the conscious who makes the difference and I am afraid the elements of which are rare and precious in Pakistan. Happy Holi to all!!!

Fahad & Mansoor, I agree with you and respect your sentiments. I think Rahul is coming from his perception which is again based on the amount and kind of information available to all of us on both side of the border. Such interactions on the internet, will hopefully bring about a change in perceptions and make us trust each other. Holi while is a Hindu festival symbolizes friendship. It was said that on Holi even bitter enemies used to give up their enmity and became friends. May be this is the beginning! Wish you both and Pakistan a very happy and colorful Holi!

Well S.A.M it has to do with religion and it signifies the triumph of good over evil, something that all of us want in our part of the world. But the celebration of colors also called "Dhulandi" symbolizes friendship and it is said that even most bitter enemy gave up their enmity by visiting each other and applying color to each other. I think this is what is the need of the hour and lets play Holi together! Wish you all a very happy Holi!

Holi, Rakhi these festivals are more of traditions than religious, like there is no worshiping on these days, when in USA people can celebrate Thanks giving, Halloween which were actually native American festivals are still celebrated much more than anything else, so why not Pakistan celebrate holi as a part of ancient tradition of the place now called Pakistan.

According to one of my Pakistani friends, Holi, Diwali used to be a national holiday in the early days of Pakistan. But as soon as it became an Islamic Republic every Hindu cultural event was against the law. Now they even have banned Basant festival because of its Hindu identity. I guess, Pakistanis are still struggling with their Identity and a sense of belonging. They still are not sure if they belong to India or Arabia. Good Luck.

Very happy to see Dawn's stand on publishing Holi festivities in Pakistan. During the Mughal Period (14th century to 19th century) Holi was embraced by all sects of cultures including the great Muslim culture as well. Hope our Pakistani Muslim brothers will embrace this festival of colour - forgetting and forgiving those they despise and bring joy to the families, the communities, the country, and the world. We have very few seconds to live in this world on the celestial calendar of evolution. Let us be good unto others. -- Dr. Ram Singh

Pakistanis should also celebrate Holi and remove all barriers of social, caste, economic etc status for one day. With colours on faces all will look same. Let them enjoy being humans. Please remember India does not want nor its people to inherit all Pakistanis problems by annexing it. Pay attention to your development. Happy Holi.

Sorry Fahad if I hurt you. I don't intend to be biased. I hope and wish sane people like you make up the majority in Pakistani. Thumbs up dude....More voices like you from both sides of the border will make us happy neighbors.

All festivals have a social component of brotherhood and goodwill. They are opportunities for us to renew these bonds and make life better for all of us. So it is good to participate in all festivals in this spirit. I am a regular dawn reader and I find it a very responsible and credible source of information and analysis. Good wishes to all on this festive occassion!

Shukla, It's true Hindus are less than 1% of Pakistan's population

Since I have Hindu members of my family, I've developed a new respect for this culture and religion. From India to Fiji. Thanks for sharing.

Hindus and Muslims are both better off living in America!

It is amazing to see that people play holi in Pakistan as well.

Anything within permissible means which brings joy in a society even for a limited period should be not only encouraged but should be shared as well.

My memory would be being 'accidentally' splashed with colours on the way back from School.. the urge to start playing was so great that I tend to place myself in the middle. Sadly stupid conventions didn't allow me to participate actively. And people who seem to be taking offence to Prof Ramesh Manghirmalani's comments. Its a matter of personal opinion, I know religious freedom in Pakistan isn't as great as it would be in India but at the same time we all have different indicators of a good life, matter of personal opinion. Furthermore, it seems people who are surprised that we have holi, dewali and other Hindu festivals in Pakistan (not to forget the annual Sikh pilgrimage) are also the people questioning the good professor - may be we do need to look beyond the smoke screen.

Happy Holi to every one, regardless of our religion, race, colour or creed we are all humans and have the right to celebrate and join in with others to celebrate every joyful moment regardless what it is for. In this present world of ours every excuse to get together and celebrate the joy with friends and family is important for our existence as humans.

The true spirit of Pakistan's Holi celebrations lies in Karachi!!!

The Majority of Hindus

Dear Pakistani friends, India/Pakistan are not much different as much as we fight. Happy holi to all of you. It

May be it's a matter of bad english :).....

Happy Holi to everyone!!!

Happy Holi everyone!!!

Hey Rajesh, On Sachin Tendulkar...I think he deserved it more than anyone. At almost an end of his career, achieving this feat was amazing.

Thanks Dawn for sharing wonder full holi

Nice to see Holi celebrated in Pakistan and so many positive comments on it. But why is that Kite flying is being banned because it has Hindu religious implications (though the overt reasons cited are something else) and nobody is complaining about it in Pakistan???

Caption reads,'...Hindus were joined by Christians and others...' That is good. But is the reporter shying away from saying that Muslims too joined? Or did someone prevent Muslims from joining? Do Dawn reporters fear for Taliban backlash? I am curious to know...

This is it is extremely good that Dawn will start Urdu broadcasting soon (or has it already?). I think Dawn in Urdu will be a huge hit!

Hilarious!

That's a great picture. Thanks Dawn for putting it on here! sb

Appreciate the sentiment. Except no one is a minority. They are all equally Pakistani!

HI, Is it a real pic or taken from India,yet there was no mention of muslims playing Holi with Hindus.

Holi is most certainly a Hindu festival. It is, has been and will be a Hindu festival. It is not a 'Spring' or a 'Harvest' festival. It is rooted in the stories of Lord Krishna and Radha.

Anil Please do not dilute our holidays by statements like 'Spring Festival' (Holi) Harvest Festival (Pongal), and Festival of Lights (Diwali). These are Hindu in origin, content, display and celebration. Please make no mistake of it. Others may join in, but cannot usurp them. Copy: S.A.M

Dear Dawn Congratulation.I am a regular reader of the Dawn.I am astonished that the people of Pakistan play Holi.Hats off to Dawn for its report. SUSIL

Chill guys. Holi hai !

Happy Holi to all Pakistanis from India...May this festival of colours paint the life of people of India and Pakistan with colours of "PEACE", "HAPPINESS", "LOVE" & "PROSPERITY"...

Happy Holi :) I like this Hindu festival very much and couldn't get chance to celebrate being a Muslim but I would love to play Holi.....Holi is truly about happiness.

I'm very surprised to see that Holi is celebrated in Pakistan too. Happy Holi to all of you my Pakistani brothers & sisters.

Sorry but your statement 'Thank Dawn News for showing some respect to Pakistani Hindus' is perhaps not appropriate at all. If you are trying to imply that Hindus are not given respect in their own country i.e. Pakistan then I am afraid you are being biased here. I know many hindus here who are leading a happy life and are given the same respect as any other Pakistani.

Holi, Christmas are all celebrated in Pakistan but never get due attention by the media. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a change from the media in Pakistan. Overall, Pakistan is a cool and tolerant place but the media has given in to the minority of zealots that roam our streets. Happy Holi to all Hindu brothers/sisters.

But what do you mean by saying that Hindus in Pakistan are better off than in INDIA. With great respect to Pakistan, we also know what is Pakistan and what is India. If you are saying this for publicity then as a Indian I don't mind. If you have some inner meaning to it, please spell it out. Let us, Hindus in India, also know where we stand worse than the counterparts in Pakistan

Hindus who LIVED in Pakistan and now leaving in Davos - brings great memories - Probably!

Parus, Why can't you celebrate Holi? It is not a religious festival, but a tradition that marks the end of winter and the commencement of spring - hence the riot of colours. People of all religions (including Muslims) celebrate it in India. Next year, just go ahead, cut loose and enjoy!

Is it true that population of Hindus in Pakistan has been reduced from 5% to 1% after 1947?

thanks

In Holi festival, it was a social outlet that would cut across hierarchical borders, of caste class, people would meet with one another, indulge in a language that would be free from the routine boss subordinate expressions. Even a subordinate or a low caste fellow could hurl an abuse in Holi.It was fishing of the borders in power realm, besides whatever religious significance the festival would carry.

Dawn is one of the most impartial secular news paper-all the best

Well said fahad , I echo your sentiments !

Hats off to Dawn for maintaining its Secular credentials in such a fundamentalist environment in Pakistan! This is the mentality needed to make Pakistan a modern developed Muslim majority. I used to celebrate Holi with my Pakistani friends in an American University and this articles brings back those sweet memories :)

Dear Dawn, you are making pakistan proud keep it up. Happy holi to all. laxmi

Try getting a job for Hindus in India and try getting Indian Nationality- and stop criticizing Pakistan for every thing they do.

Happy Holi to all Pakistanis.

Pakistanis and Hindus are part of me and my nation. Happy Holi folks ... to all Hindus of the world. With Love,

It might be true. Just like population of Muslims in India reduced after 1947.

Which planet both of you lives on? all minorities suffer everyday in Pakistan there is no religious freedom for them good luck to my remaining Hindu brothers and sisters in Pakistan and well done to DAWN.

Sir Aadaab, You are needed back in Pakistan. You are part of me and part of Pakistan and your homeland needs you.

Thank you!

Dude, you can't condemn the whole nation for the mis-deeds of the few. Hope you have learn't a lesson not to be closed minded.

Sure as long as you don't tell anyone about it. Everything is legal. Incidentally I have a bridge in Manhatten, oh well..........

Well said Fahad, sorry Rahul but I feel that he (Fahad) must be knowing better than us about the treatment Pakistani Hindus are getting in their 'own country'. So your statement may hurt their sentiments.

Have lived in Pakistan and India. And I have extensively travelled / stayed in Mauritius and Fiji, not to mention UK, USA and Canada to generate a demography related paper for my organisation, on the traits of the population of the Indian subcontinent. You all guys should have been ONE giant of a nation... anyway since that's not possible, Dawn is leading the way - from both India and Pakistan to maintain the cordiality in relations. As for religion, I doubt if Muslims in Pakistan are as happy as I found them in India. I cannot believe the thing about "Riots"... to see Hindus and Muslims co-existing at any other time... for it to happen, it has to be the dirty politicians - on both sides of the border. Wonderful countries and wonderful people all the way!

1921

Happy Holi! It's a nice photo blog! I've known some of the Muslims (in Pakistan) who celebrate Holi or something like that where they play with colors by throwing it at each other but personally, I find it very messy! :)

The media doesn't do a very good job of portraying the correct sentiments of people. That's why there's so much of misunderstanding on both sides of the border. I have several Pakistani friends here in the US and they are the nicest people I have ever met. For the same reason, I avoid watching any anti-Pakistani movies as they don

Agreed with you... Hindus are living in better position in Pakistan than Muslims in India...

Nice to see this label of "secular Dawn" given by our Indian friends. Has the change commenced? Good work Dawn Shida

What made you say that "Hindus who live in Pakistan are better of then living in India?"

I am an Indian residing in Europe. Just to write that Dawn newspaper from Pakistan is becoming my favorite newspaper. Like others, me too was not knowing that if people in Pakistan can or may play Holi. I also read the article on Sachin Tendulkar for his recent 200 and so many Pakistanis wished him BRAVO. So this newspaper is a neutral and I hope it will help to bring the people of two countries more close.

Water as much as two showers to clean your body, but yes cleaning the neighborhood consumes lots of water, for that reason there is a trend for "dry Holi" these days. Dry powder is easy to get rid off from the body, and brooming the neighborhood would be sufficient !

Happy Holi to all Hindus and Christians.

Wow I wonder how much water they need to clean up. I heard that some actually sleep in with those powders. Is that true?

I do not know the history and reason of Holi but it looks like a festival of joy and happinness where people throw colours on eachother and have lots of fun. I wish happy holi to all our indian friends.

Wow, I never knew they celebrated Holi in Pakistan.

Ditto from India :-) Indians and Pakistanis are not too different in this issue, for sure! After similar water wars we used to have combined "We want water.. Paani Paani" requests to colony-flats and getting gleefully drenched further by obliging buckets of water from different floors. Am sure our Basant festivals, different Eids will show us so much of our similarities - but then we will always have leaders (generals or politicians) stressing on our differences.

Happy Holi ! Nice to know that Holi is celebrated in Pakistan too.

Good luck and stay there !!

Happy Holi to everyone on both sides of the border

End of winter and beginning of spring is the meaning of HOLI. It has nothing to do with religion. So, anyone can join in.

Excuse me Prof Ramesh, I could not get your point when you said " Hindus who live in Pakistan are better of then living in India". Can you elaborate on that please. ??

Hi, I am an Indian. Wish you all Happy Holi. Thank Dawn News for showing some respect to Pakistani Hindus

Where is the connection between the subject & what has been posted ? Why hindus, anyone who lives in his homeland is better off than those living elsewhere. If The hindus in Pak are happy- great !

I spent my younger days in Karachi, I do have vivid memories of Civilized Karachi and Hyderabad Sind . "I have lots of superb memories of Holi. As kids, we used to have Holi wars with the neighboring colonies. Balloons of colored water, lots of strange color, which never went for days. All in all, a lot of good fun!".

Hindus who live in Pakistan are better of then living in India. India might be powerful Nation but to us Pakistani bring great memories

A very positive message indeed.

Surprises ! I never knew they celebrated Holi in Pakistan.

Neil, I started laughing 5 minutes back after reading your reply...still can't stop laughing!!! Well Done!! Good response.

Is it customary to consume bhang (Cannabis leaves) during Holi in Pakistan as well? Is bhang legal in Pakistan?

MR. Prof. How you can say that Hindus in Pakistan are living a better life?

Holi was (is) never a religious festival but a seasonal festival to welcome the end of winter and beginning of spring. One of the all time best movie songs about Holi is 'Holi ayee re Kanhai' from the movie Mother India. The song was written by Shakeel Badayuni, music by Naushad, and sung by Shamshad Begum; the movie was produced and directed by Mehboob - all Muslims. That is really something everyone can be proud of!

What? ... They say one should open there eyes when washing face, so should I open my eyes with holis on my eye lashes when someone buckets me... Thanks

I like this festival.

Being an Indian, I agree that Rahul went a bit overboard with his comment on how one can show respect! I request for that comment to be expunged from this blog. Secondly, as someone has said previously that it is a celebration and riot of colours that signifies the beginning of the bountiful spring season. In North and middle India where it is celebrated more, it surely transcends all religious and cultural barriers bringing people from all walks of life together in happiness and joy. I have many many memorable recollections of how we used to celebrate the festival in Delhi during the 80's and 90's in my schooling days. It was great fun even though it took a few days for the colours to completely come off from your skin!!

Happy holi to all human beings out there.

Rahul: I agree with you.

Pakistanis needs training to respect all religions. We are badly missing tolerance in our society, I believe.

Are you really a Hindu of Pakistan? I doubt it!!

Since my retirement at the age of 60 I have been a regular reader of Dawn on your website.I have been thouroghly impressed with your almost unbiased reporting of India related news & views.Your reporting of HOLI came as a pleasant surprise. I sincerely hope that likes of Hafeez Saeed & Thakres are defeated comprehensively by you & similar media groups in India in their business of trading hatred.

Guys please erase words like "Hindus", "Muslims" etc............Try to put something beyond religion. I am an Indian residing in London and a regular reader of dawn as here the advantage is to read columns of well known journalist... Cowasjee, Jawed Naqvi, Irfan Hussain. And yes it

Don't criticize, you have a negative tone, is there any thing wrong with Hindus being happy in Pakistan?

Do they have water balloon fights after? Shouldn

Good one Rizwan.

Sachin will play for many more years to come, remember life begins at 40!!!

Lovely!! Its a good thing to celebrate Holi across religions and classes, but word of caution: please use only Eco- friendly natural colors, chemicals in Holi colors are carcinogenic. :(

Bhang is not cannabis leaves...it's some sort of crude liquor, and I don

@ahmed........doesn't Islam say "lakum deenukum waliyadeen". It even goes as far as saying compare the philosophies of various religions to those of Islam and study them, weigh their pros n cons.

wow!!

It is also religious.

Beautiful!! :)

It is what it is, one can celebrate citing any reason or without any reason at all!!

I actually read the headline twice to make sure I was reading properly. Hindus celebrate Holi in Pakistan...as embarrassing it is..I didn't even know if there were any Hindus left in Pakistan..Sikhs, yes...from the news on their beheading and rescue etc...but apart from that I've never heard any Indian news channel airing anything about this...good job.

Hi, This photo reminds me of my childhood. I have lived on both sides of border and now earning my living in very far land. We used to celeberate in my childhood in pakistan with same joy and enthuiasm as in india in my later part of life. Having seen both sides i just wish we could always celberate each other's happiness together.......

We do not need to celebrate anything to prove our tolerance to you or other Hindus like you. You worry about your own intolerance towards minorities first. When you stop burning churches and stop killing minorities in thousands then talk about tolerance.

You are really full of hate otherwise you would not make such a bigoted comment. It is obvious you are brain washed by the media in India which has been portraying Pakistan as evil for the last 64 years.

Dawn has started a new way of mending pakistani society. This is called constructive journalism.Dawn has tried to unite pakistani society and not join hands with third grade journalists. Pakistan needs a cause to unite then to saperate. There are already too many forces within pakistan who want to create rift in society and screw up the county. As Pakistan get more educated people , society will also evolve to a state where more and more foreign investment will come in. Pit one section of society against other is an old trick which has been played for many generations. I am happy that people are finally realizing that.

Wonderful pictures.

Brought tears to my eyes.... for a change it appears that we are human beings first, before Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian etc. Humanity is the most powerful religion, ain't it? After all, can you be a good Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian etc. unless you are a good human being first? Peace and prosperity to all.....

I am an Indian living in London and many of my friends are Pakistanis. Even the best teacher I have come across is Pakistani from Faisalabad. We play cricket together and there is no hatred. I think that on both sides of the border we have people with good intentions but the problem is that their message is not given the importance it deserves.

I am sure many Pakistanis who rely upon non- English newspapers as their primary source of information also think that there are no Muslims left in India and that the ones who are left are vulnerable to violence like Gujarat episode.

Before we all start singing kumbaya around an open fire, let's get a simple history lesson. Before 1947, Muslims ruled India for over a 1000 years. 90% of the Muslim rule in India (Depending on who you ask) was good and peaceful where Muslims contributed in different ways to the local Hindu culture but most Hindus remembered only the 10% of the bad stuff around the time of partition. Muslims were aware of this fact and feared that they will be marginalized under a Hindu majority rule after the partition hence demanded a separate homeland called Pakistan. This is just a list of it so please don't nit pick on my analysis. Having said all that, I believe Pakistan and India can still mend fences and live peacefully next to each other. Hindus should continue to be able to celebrate Holi in Pakistan while Muslims celebrate Eid in India.

I really enjoyed watching this picture, for me, A Pakistani Hindu is more dear to me than an Indian Muslim, Every Pakistani, be it a Muslim, Hindu, Christian or whatever his religion is comes first! We should unite together and be secular! Lets follow the golden words of our Quaid-e-Azam; 1. Unity 2. Faith 3. Discipline.

Don't blame Rahul for it Danish Bhai, I have many Indian channels, you should check out how many misconceptions they "promote" about our country and off course not to forget the Bollywood movies.

Great job! Highlighting Hindu's cultural life in Pakistan; Dawn is truly a "Sub continental" paper and there is no parallel in India; As kids (in 1940s) we were told by " mullahs" that whatever body part holi color falls on; that will be burnt; Holi is not even Hindu; It roots are in " spring equinox

Celebration of holi is really a nice job done in Pakistan. All the religions and cultures must be appreciated to conduct their own practices...that is the way of humanity.

Very good comments Zajari, it carries weight. Good Pakistani like you should build up a strong public opinion to change your Govt policy to declare Pakistan a SECULAR country.

What a great joke! Worlds largest Muslim population is in India and we live happily together. And with pride I want to say that we have rights to live freely in this country.

We Indians salute Dawn News and its culture. Keep it up. Good Luck!

Good observation.

Very well said I must say. We should appreciate the festivals of others but it doesn't mean that while doing that we forget our own cultural or religious values.

Contrary to what you think, Holi is celebrated in South India also. I am South Indian by origin. I fondly remember the days when we celebrated Holi. My be there is a little bit of difference in the way it is celebrated in South India, but still it is widely celebrated.

WOW......A picture is worth a thousand words!!!! I am an Indian and I have been following the news articles and blogs on DAWN for the past one year or so.....if you ask me, given the geo-political reality of today, I would place DAWN ahead of BBC in terms of integrity, sincerity and quality of news.....I think High time indian newspapers stop putting up "Sharukh meets Akon" news on their front page and take a leaf out of the book of DAWN

Amen!! Nasser bhai, heartwarming to read your response and it washes away so much of hatred dirt! cheers!

Very well said dear. I didn't knew that people in Pakistan are so nice, as media here paints a completely different picture. Love to Pakistani brothers and sisters.

Fawad bhai Don't agree at all, as the following reader says support it with facts. I recall reading at least 5 stories in Pakistan news site about minority bashing. Including the recent attack on christian houses, if you would recall couple of years ago Hindu sisters were abducted from Karachi/neighborhood and later surfaced to claim that they converted according to their own will. It was hotly debated at that time in news. Cant imagine that kind of thing here!!! but am sure you have some facts to support what you say.

Thanks Amit!

Haha muslims in India are one of the happiest muslims on earth. Lots of freedom unlike muslims of Gulf, very safe than fear of death by bombings, above all special quota in schools and govt jobs in India. Muslims in India are happy, we are proud to be Indian.

Well you learn new everyday, I was not aware of Multan part :)

Ahmed, Loved your comments. I would love to come to Pakistan and visit these places. You made some very nice points. India and Pakistan have lot of cultural importance. Lets not forget about Indus Vally civilization. I feel that our generation must change this hatred. I wish we have web forum where netcitizens of India and Pakistan can interact.

Agreed. Dawn is simply the best!

Agree with you completely on that!

Haha. Ever heard of Deepak Parwani? Google him if you haven't. One of the best and msot celebrated fashion designers of Paksitan who, as you can probably guess from his name, is a Hindu.

We in Pakistan celebrate all festivals as well. And have done so for decades. Also just because Dawn did not have a blog before doesn't mean it did not carry photos in its ever popular print edition of people celebrating festivals of joys like Diwali or Christmas before, much less these were not celebrated at all. Growing up in Pakistan I vividly recall those photos as well as greetings on Dawn's front page along the line of "Dawn wishes all its readers a happy Nowruz" These were a regular fixture whenever we had a festival Diwali, Easter etc.

A belated happy Holi to all! Hope you had a good one with lots of colour, music and great food.

@ Anshul - adding to what Rafaay provided about Deepak Parwani. Hope you do follow the sport called 'Cricket' - Danish Kaneria is another Pakistani Hindu. Talking about another Hindu (myself) - a proud Pakistani. And we enjoy the best freedom in our country to follow our religion.

Happy Holi to every body . Pakistan Zindabaad cheers.

Happy Holi to Everybody. Pakistan Zindabaad

I think DAWn's coverage is one of the best. I don't miss a day. Whether it be Ardeshir Cowasjee, Irfan Hussain or the general news itself. In fact I tend to spend more time with this than the ons I get at home! Things like celebrations always foster Interfaith harmony. Maybe just a sign of tokenism, but presence of the majority group of people in celebration of minority festivals, makes them feel at home. Especially in hard times, it becomes even more pertinent that we go ahead and do these things more. These are small pleasures that we must enjoy!

Are you crazy, who says people don't celebrate Holi in South India. Just go and see Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore.

Grow up man. You need to start reading latest news about India from now on. Untouch ability existed in India about 50 years ago and I would say it is still prevalent in areas with high concentration of illiterates. A lot of them have moved on beyond these practices. It used to be a menace, but nowadays, people hardly talk about it. But the fact is it still exists but only among a very small percentage. But the generalization that all the dalits in India are a mistreated lot is truly reflecting you ignorance. Check your facts before your state your opinion.

It seems Pakistan's public is not aware of most of the things but with half knowledge they talk in full confidence.

"Pakistan's public"- by generalizing you contradict your own statement Mr Anand, so much for half knowledge and full confidence...

Sonu, its people like you on both sides of the border who flare up issues with their irresponsible remarks.

Nasser bhai,it is very nice of you and this blog of DAWN to praise a hindu festival and make us Indians feel that Hindus on that side also enjoys total freedom without any hesitancy. And by reading the views from other writers from pakistan I am sure that our two countries will get to the peace together regardless of any timeline. Beause that is what every ordinary man of india and pakistan want and that is what we,the next generation, will achieve. And I have no doubt about that though it will take long time but we will get there some day. May god bless us all.

Spring festivals are universal. Harvest Festivals are universal. We know no culture (there are 4000+ distinct cultures) on earth that does not celebrate nature. Holi and Basanth celebrate nature. Dawn needs to continue its journalistic to push the envelope by minimizing hate and optimizing tolerance of diversity especially in Pakistan, where an entire generation of Muslims has been fed hatred for Hindus. You reap what you sow. Dawn will become a better paper as a result. And all South Asians will benefit from peace and harmony. Holi Hai!

I knew the history part, but not the exact place. Nice to know abt the Multan thing!!

TV I hope those fundamentalists do not read these blogs otherwise they will change the name from Multan(A kafir word) to some Arabic name. Pankaj Patel