Rainbow clouds of powder filled the air at Battersea Power Station yesterday at the London Holi One Festival.
Over 10,000 revellers partied under the sun, and smothered themselves – and everybody else – in coloured powder to a countdown every hour until 10pm.
Inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi, which takes place in India to celebrate the arrival of spring and create a sense of cheer and togetherness, Holi One Festival put on a magical display – and emulated this spirit. Complete strangers were exploding colour over one another; laughing, dancing, making new friends, and going home with multi-coloured faces and hair.
With booze, food and thousands of kilograms of coloured powder, it was a messy (in all senses) but happy day.
Words by Kavi Shah, photography by Gary Cohen.