The Arts

An Artist Imagines Holi in 1792

In this fictional account, an 18th century Englishwoman's confusion and eventual realisation tells us a little bit about how festivals in India are by nature syncretic, eschewing straight lines and clear answers.

Tradition in India cannot be limited to religion, geography or singular accounts. An artist imagines how a British woman in 1792 would have realised just that while posing questions on Holi to various people around her.

Soumyadeep Roy is a visual artist, interested in narratives, anachronisms, and blending barriers that compartmentalise. His Instagram handle is @shomow. All art in this piece is by Roy.