Huntington Celebrates Hindu 'Festival of Colors,' Holi

HUNTINGTON, NY — The Town of Huntington celebrated Holi, the Hindu "Festival of Colors," in April.

Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth and Deborah Misir, the town’s first Indian-American town attorney, welcomed town and county officials, representatives from local Hindu temples, and members of the community for the celebration.

"We join Huntington’s Indian-American community and all who observe this annual celebration of colors, with the hope, optimism and unity perfectly reflected during the springtime," Smyth stated. “We are a united community, from all walks of life, all cultural and religious backgrounds, and we celebrate both what unites us and those characteristics that make us unique. I am heartened to see such a gathering of officials, leaders and members of our community for this colorful, unifying celebration of spring.”

Holi — called Phagwah in the Caribbean — is the spring festival of colors and renewal, Misir explained.

"We welcome the Indian-American and Caribbean-American communities and people of all faiths who join together to celebrate this happy and fun holiday,” Misir said.

The Holi “Festival of Colors,” or “Festival of Spring,” celebrates the arrival of spring and harvests to come, and the victory of good over evil. The traditionally Hindu festival is celebrated across the globe, regardless of religion or cultural background: It's a celebration of love and inclusion.

On Jan. 4, the Huntington Town Board appointed Misir as Huntington’s first Indian-American town attorney. Misir, a resident of Lloyd Harbor, is an accomplished lawyer, government executive and law professor with almost 25 years’ experience in practice. Before entering private practice on Long Island, she served in Washington D.C., as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of labor and chief of staff of OSHA, as a member of the federal management Senior Executive Service (SES). In addition, she was an ethics counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office for President George W. Bush, advising senior White House officials on various aspects of government ethics laws.

Misir is a veteran and joined the JAGC program of the U.S. Marine Corps after graduation from law school.

Elected officials joining Smyth and Misir to celebrate the Festival of Colors from the Town included Councilwoman Joan Cergol; Councilman Dr. Dave Bernardo; Councilman Sal Ferro; Receiver of Taxes Jillian Guthman and former Councilman Dr. Mark Capodanno. From Suffolk County, District Attorney Ray Tierney attended the celebration along with Legislator Rob Trotta, Legislator Stephanie Bontempi, and Legislator Manny Esteban.

Event sponsors included attendees Girish Patel, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, donating garlands and prasad (goodie bags); Rajesh and Geeta Kumar, Bengali Sweet Shop in Hicksville, donating sweets; Mona Ramen, donating flowers and décor; and Gary Brar and Pritpal Singh Mann.