Britain’s Kate Middleton marks Holi with chai, mithai tour of Leicester

London, Mar 5 (PTI) Britain's Kate Middleton was greeted by a cheering crowd of British Indians during a visit to mark the festival of Holi in Leicester on Thursday, where she enjoyed some chai and mithai.

The Princess of Wales’ Kensington Palace office said the solo tour to the eastern England city symbolised a celebration of the “culture, community and heritage of the British Indian community in Leicester”.

Kate was welcomed at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre with a garland made of roses and pearls, showcasing the message of “spring, love, colour and new life” associated with the Hindu festival.

Dressed in an elegant cream Ralph Lauren outfit, she folded her hands in namaste as she was received by Aakash Odedra, an award-winning choreographer and dancer. She then watched a vibrant Bollywood dance and rehearsal of Odedra’s latest work entitled ‘Songs of the Bulbul’.

“This production is an interpretation an ancient Sufi story about a captured songbird, a bulbul, which sings an exquisite tune before perishing from despair," Kensington Palace said in an official statement.

“Developed with choreographer Rani Khanam and composer Ranjan, associate artist of the Royal Albert Hall, Aakash combines Ranjan’s new score, played by a live orchestra from Manchester Camerata, and the voice of Abi Sampa, and combines music, dance and the poetry traditions of Sufism," it stated.

Birmingham-born and Leicester-based Odedra trained in Bharatanatyam and Kathak, followed by Bollywood choreography with Shiamak Davar in India. He founded the Aakash Odedra Company in Leicester in 2011 with the belief that art and culture should be accessible and available to all.

The well-known company now engages over 1,000 people weekly through learning and participation programmes, with the British Indian experience used to tell new stories about modern life and create “boundary pushing” dance works.

Following the entertainment, the senior royal made her way to family-run businesses on Belgrave Road in Leicester – famous as the city’s "Golden Mile" with reference to its gold jewellery stores.

“The Golden Mile is famous for having one of the highest concentrations of Indian jewellery, sari, and fashion boutiques in the UK and is a vibrant hub for South Asian culture, offering authentic cuisine, sweets, and chai shops.

"The Princess will drop into a number of businesses to understand how they support the local community," the palace said.

After a stop at a family sari shop named Ladlees and some chai at Bobby’s Restaurant, Kate paid a visit to the Shreeji Dham Haveli temple – dedicated to the teachings of Shrimad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji and serving the local Vaishnav community.

“The Haveli offers a tranquil space for worship and community activities, including yoga classes, language lessons, and musical programmes. With a focus on community engagement, Shreeji Dham Haveli encourages participation from all ages and backgrounds, fostering a dynamic and inclusive environment," the palace noted.

At the Haveli, the royal discussed the temple's recent Holi celebrations as she was offered further floral garlands during a barefoot tour of the devotional space. PTI AK SCY SCY