Exotic shades of joy this season

They came to promote health, and ended up enjoying shades of celebration.

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai, March 11: They came to promote health, and ended up colouring their world with all shades of joy and celebration.The conference of anti-tobacco advocates, health experts, scientists and educators started in Mumbai Sunday. It has drawn over 2,000 delegates from abroad. It was the first time many of the foreigners got introduced to Holi, thanks to the initiative of the organisers of the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health. The foreign delegates gathered to discuss the perils of smoking ended up celebrating Holi, heaping colour on their Indian colleagues and enjoying every moment of it. Many of them had their first Holi experience, thanks to the initiative of the organisers of the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health. "It was the first time that I experienced Holi," said Naptal Offen, a delegate from the US. "I was struck by the similarity between Holi and a Jewish festival." Francisco Ruiz from Spain was delighted. "It was a unique cultural experience of India. We tasted traditional foods of Holi too and danced to folk songs," he said. Added Canadian Jack Boomer: "It was a festival with a difference. People threw colour on each other and danced together."