Preston Merchant

Phagwah Celebrations in New York

In the Richmond Hill section of Queens, New York, Hindus from Guyana and Trinidad celebrate Phagwah, the Caribbean name for the Indian festival of Holi, by dousing each other with colored powders and liquids.  There is also a parade down Liberty Avenue, so the event becomes an Indo-Caribbean national day, marking the arrival of spring.  These photos are from 2004.

Think of the Children

Any big photo project about Indians around the world is going to feature a lot of children.  Here are some of my favorites:

Vaibhav on New Year's Eve. Singapore

Kamran with Jack Russell terriers India (airborne) and Hugo (grounded). Nairobi, Kenya

Ashley and her grandmother. Hague, Guyana

Durban beach, South Africa

Young sailor aboard a dhow. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Indo-Caribbean Phagwah parade in Richmond Hill, New York (left) and boys in Dubai (right).

At a Hindu home for underprivileged boys. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Richard at a Guyanese jhandi ceremony. Richmond Hill, New York

Byron aboard his father's boat on Lake Washington. Seattle, Washington

Kite Flying at the Seawall, Georgetown, Guyana

I traveled to Guyana in April of 2004, arriving on Easter weekend, which meant most of the shops were closed in Georgetown and people were spending time with family at home.  There was constant rain, which confined me to my room in the Hotel Tower, where I drank Carib beer and watched Brian Lara smack his 400 not out against England in Antigua on TV.

But the rain stopped on Easter Monday and all of Georgetown gathered at the seawall -- the northern coastline of the city where the muddy Demerara River empties into the Atlantic Ocean.  The Easter tradition is to fly kites and enjoy a street fair with rides, games, and cotton candy.