Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday celebrated Holi at Raj Bhavan in Gujarat's capital of Gandhinagar on the first day of his India visit and said the festival of colours signifies the triumph of good over evil and its message is an enduring reminder for all.
Albanese, who is on a four-day India trip, was welcomed by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at Raj Bhavan by applying colour on his face as a mark of Holi celebrations, said a state government release.
The 'Holi Celebrations' event was organised by the Governor in the honour of the visiting dignitary and his delegation. Gujarat Assembly
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Speaker Shankar Chaudhary along with several state ministers were present on the occasion, said the release. Later, artists from different states, including Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, performed their traditional dance forms at the event.
The Australian leader posted photos from the event on Twitter and wrote, "Honoured to celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad, India. Holi’s message of renewal through the triumph of good over evil is an enduring reminder for all of us."
"No matter what your faith is or where you’ve come from - we celebrate and value what unites us," he said in another post. Speaking at the event, Albanese said though it is his first official visit as the PM, he came to India as a youngster way back in 1991 and stayed in the country for six weeks.
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He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inviting him, and added he is excited to watch the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India in Ahmedabad.
The two PMs will watch the first day of the Test between India and Australia beginning at the Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera on Thursday.
