On a normal day in India, this could be an ordinary picture of a dog sitting comfortably on the back of a scooter. Only it isn’t.
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Perched on the vehicle, its forehead marked with bright red powder, the dog is emblematic of how many households treat pets as family and include them in festivities, including Holi, a Hindu festival of colours that was celebrated on Friday.
While coloured powders are generally seen as harmful to their skin, fur and health, pets often have their foreheads marked by their owners on Holi, in a sign of love and affection.
The raucous spring festival sees Hindus take part in a kaleidoscopic celebration of the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated by smearing each other with brightly coloured powder, dancing to festive music and feasting on traditional confectionery.
Millions of people in South Asia celebrate Holi. The festival is a national holiday in India, while in Nepal it’s a two-day event that began Thursday. It’s also observed in other South Asian countries as well as among the Indian diaspora.
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