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Brisbane's sub-continental community joined millions of Hindus around the world on the weekend in colour-packed Holi celebrations marking the start of the Indian spring.
Blessed with clear skies, excited crowds came in droves to Springfield's Robelle Domain to participate in Holi, the most exuberant of northern Indian festivals.
In India, the two-day holiday begins with families praying, singing and dancing around a symbolic bonfire to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
On the second day, individuals take to the streets to dab each other with coloured powder.
Some also opt to indulge in a cannabis-infused yoghurt drink called bhang.
In Brisbane, organisations such as Indian Cultural and Sports Club create events like the one held on Sunday so the diaspora can participate too — minus the bhang, of course.
Organiser Paviter Singh Noori said the event was an opportunity for people to learn more about Indian culture.
"The rich cultural values that migrant communities bring with them is something that needs to be celebrated," Mr Noori said.
"When we're covered in colours, our differences no longer matter."
Activities on the day included colour throwing, lobbing water balloons, dancing to Bollywood music and eating Indian delicacies.
Mr Noori said initial interest in the event was not too high, but through the momentum of social media and word of mouth, thousands of people came through on the day.
While a portion of attendees were of Indian heritage, the majority was made up of diverse groups from wider Brisbane.
"We're very pleased as it helps us in our mission to promote harmonious relationships between different communities," Mr Noori said.
Darker side to the colourful festival
While the festival has traditionally been about abandoning inhibitions and social hierarchies, over the years the holiday has become problematic for women in India.
Sakshi Sirari, a gender policy consultant based in Mumbai, said a lot of men used the event as an excuse to grope women under the pretext of applying colours.
Because of the social nature of the festival, Ms Sirari said women often did not know who assaulted them, making it difficult to report the incident.
"It's also a class issue here, since women from wealthier families are able to enjoy Holi at private arrangements," she said.
Far from being deterred, Ms Sirari said women had taken to travelling in packs, carrying their own bhang and wearing clothes with pockets to carry items to defend themselves, such as pepper spray.
Asked whether women's safety was an issue at the Brisbane event, Mr Noori said the Indian Cultural and Sports Club had decided to keep the Brisbane Holi event drug- and alcohol-free to ensure as many people as possible could attend and feel safe.
Topics: community-and-multicultural-festivals, community-and-society, people, human-interest, hinduism, religion-and-beliefs, carnivals-and-festivals, springfield-4300, brisbane-4000, qld, australia
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