A picture of camaraderie, harmony in myriad hues

MALAPPURAM: After the ‘Holi advertisement' of a detergent created waves across the country, a photo of Holi celebration in a Malappuram college in which students splashed in colours providing safe passage to another student in white Muslim attire is now being celebrated as a symbol of religious harmony in Kerala.

The photo of an unexpected moment during Thursday’s Holi celebrations of CPA College of Arts & Science, Puthanathani in Malappuram district started appearing in social media on Friday morning. The photo shows a group of students celebrating Holi providing ‘safe passage’ to Muhammed Suhail, a second year BSc Botany student, who was clad in white attire.

“It was around 4pm that students started the celebrations after the class. I had to attend my evening Dars (religious class) in Valanchery mosque. It was not possible for me to pass through the crowd, without getting stained. Then one of the students, Ajith, took the initiative to move students and provided way for me," said Suhail.

Muhammed Shamnas, a first-year travel & tourism management student of the college, who participated in the celebration said that the similarity between the detergent ad and the moment in college was just coincidental. “We are happy that social media is discussing the photo positively,” said Shamnas, who is also a member of the college union.

T Ubaid, the manager of the college said that the Holi celebration was organized in the college by students themselves with the support of college management as it could spread of message plurality among students.

He added that the photo was not planned, but someone clicked it when Suhail hurriedly left the college for his evening religious class in a mosque at his village.