Senator Sanders Celebrates Holi / Phagwah in Richmond Hill

State Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village) attended a Holi / Phagwah celebration on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the Maha Lakshmi Mandir temple in Richmond Hill, where dozens  of people had gathered for traditional Chowtaal music and the ritual of covering each other with brightly colored powder. The five-hour long event was sponsored by the Richmond Hill Economic Development Council.
 
At the celebration, Senator Sanders presented a proclamation to Ramesh D. Kalicharran, a co-founder of the Phagwah Parade in Richmond Hill and a longtime leader in the community with his commitment to philanthropy.  He created the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin as well as the Prem Bhakti Satsangh Mandir and has been recognized by many organizations for his work drawing attention to the lives and culture of all Indo-Caribbean people in New York City and creating a vital link between India and the West Indian Diaspora.
 
Phagwah, or Holi, is the Indo-Caribbean Hindu celebration of the new year and the triumph of good over evil. The Phagwah Parade in Richmond Hill is the biggest celebration in North America and attracts as many as 25,000 people annually.