Magic of India, a social enterprise in London which brings Indian culture and language alive in fun-filled and engaging ways, including school workshops and festive events, will organise the Holi Colour Dance Festival at the Swiss Cottage Open Space on March 12 on the occasion of Holi or the festival of colour.
The event will kick off at 11 am local time and continue till 4 pm.
People enjoy the Holi Colour Dance Festival in London in 2022. (Picture: magicofindia.org)
The family-friendly outdoor programme, which drew more than 2,000 people last year, is described as an 'Indian multicultural spring carnival'.
The festival, held in collaboration with Nicky Ezer and her Camden Events Team, draws a large number of local people, including Londoners, and the participants belong to all ages and backgrounds.
During the celebrations, people play with skin-friendly coloured powder. Music performances are also staged, including traditional Indian and modern Bollywood numbers. Also on the occasion, Her DJ crew blend popular western tunes with Bollywood music. People also pick Indian food at the event, making it a highly energetic one where children as well as adults enjoy a day of colour, music and multiculturalism.
Two women at the Holi Colour Dance Festival in London in 2022. (Picture: magicofindia.org)
The weather also plays a perfect company as the Holi party coincides with several cherry-blossom trees in and around the Swiss Cottage Open Space being in full splendour.
Geeta Srivastava, director, Magic of India, in 2013 set up five centres of the social enterprise across London for children between three and 15 years to learn languages such as Hindi or Gujarati and the Indian culture, believing that “it’s important to thrive in your own culture whilst integrating with the country where you live.”
To date, Magic of India has over 100 students, including children of British celebrities, and they are taught online in bespoke, age-appropriate classes by dedicated teachers.
Young girls present a dance performance at the Holi Colour Dance Festival in London in 2022. (Picture: magicofindia.org)
Srivastava, who moved from India to the UK two-and-half decades ago and lives in West Hampstead, also organises celebrations for Diwali, the festival of light, at Swiss Cottage Library every November. Indians and non-Indians enjoy it to the hilt during that occasion as well.
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, in Scunthorpe, northern England, Britain, March 31, 2025. REUTERS/Dominic Lipinski
The FBU is planning to introduce new internal policies and wants the TUC to take action as well. (Representational image: iStock)
FBU chief raises concern over rise in racist online posts by union members
THE FIRE Brigades Union (FBU) and other trade unions are increasingly concerned about a rise in racist and bigoted online comments by their own members and officials, according to Steve Wright, the FBU’s new general secretary, speaking to the Guardian.
Wright said internal inquiries have revealed dozens of cases involving members using racist slurs or stereotypes, often aimed at asylum seekers.
He said similar issues were reported in other unions, prompting a joint campaign to counter false narratives around immigration and race promoted by far-right groups online.
“People with far-right views are becoming more brazen in what they do on social media, and I’ve witnessed it with my own union around disciplinary cases and the rhetoric of some of our own members,” Wright said to the newspaper.
He added, “Some of our members and sometimes our reps have openly made comments which are racist and bigoted. In my time in the fire service, that has gone up.”
The FBU is planning to introduce new internal policies and wants the TUC to take action as well. A formal statement addressing far-right narratives will be launched at the union’s annual conference in Blackpool next month.
Wright cited the influence of social media and figures like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage as factors contributing to these incidents. “It feels like an itch that we’ve got to scratch,” he said.
The FBU barred a former official last year for allegedly endorsing racist content on X, including posts from Britain First and Tommy Robinson.
Wright also warned that the union could strike if the government moves to cut frontline fire services.