सभी का स्वागत
All Welcome
All Welcome
In March, Lewis Cubitt Square in King’s Cross became the stage for our biggest Holi celebration yet! For the first time, we decided to take the fun outside and despite the slightly imperfect weather conditions (gale-force winds and pelting rain), it was totally, utterly brilliant.
We were joined by a raucous group of 500 party-wallas who unashamedly rolled up their sleeves and got their hands, faces, arms, legs, hair, clothes, EVERYTHING stuck into in a gloriously multi-coloured, powdery mess. We love that there are so many of you out there willing to go temporarily mad with us!
For a few short hours, King’s Cross was awash with bright colour and beaming faces. People of all ages, from all different walks of life came together to share in a moment of complete abandon. It was great to look around and feel such a sense of unity amongst a very mixed crowd of revellers – especially at the moment we released the gulal (coloured powder) and we watched everyone throw both caution and colour to the (howling) wind.
We love Holi. It’s great fun, of course, but for us, there is no greater pleasure in life than in creating the opportunity for many people to come together in this way. It’s true that for many of us, it’s not often that we spend time – much less play-time – in the company of people from mixed cultures and backgrounds. And Holi may have its roots in Hindu culture, but we see no reason not to share its joy with our friends of Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, and all other faiths. For the same reasons, we celebrate Eid, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan and Christmas, and these celebrations are equally open to everyone.
We say it often, but for us, there are far too many barriers in this world; too many narrow domestic walls that divide too many of us too easily. It is only by sharing our cultures that we can understand, acknowledge and celebrate our differences, rather than allowing them to separate us. For us, this is more important than anything.
The July issue of Dishoom Loves is already here (and perky, for your eyes). Fill your mind with some of the best South Asian talent, from a 17-year-old playwright sharing her life story, to a beauty expert’s top tips and tricks. And, a doctor who writes about henna.
Arched into the cobbled lane of Trinity Street, behind a mustard yellow door, an all-day bar-café cuts loose. Not to be confused with the buzzy bars in Dishoom cafés, this Permit Room is entirely other – a tribute to the way Bombay kicks back and cuts loose – a salute to the city’s permit rooms, beer bars and drinking holes.
June brings the promise of sun-drenched days – or monsoons – balmy nights and a smattering of first-class cultural happenings.
People, community and planet.