On Wednesday, April 13th, our South Asian Student Association hosted a Holi event. There were water guns, colored powder, and food and drinks. There was a great turn out and we all had a lot of fun! The best part of the festival was that we all got to interact with new people. Holi is known to many as “the one where people throw powder at each other.” Often in these types of celebrations the meaning of it is lost in translation. So, what is Holi?
Holi is a popular Hindu celebration also known as the Festival of Colors or the Festival of Love. It is typically celebrated in India and Nepal on March 18th. The festival has been around for a long time, the first celebration being in the 4th century. The purpose of Holi is to symbolize a fresh start and new beginnings. During the celebration, individuals put aside their differences to express peace and love. Holi also symbolizes the fight of good and evil and the triumph of good in the end.
As mentioned before Holi is celebrated with colored powder. The powders are usually blue, green, yellow, and red. The blue color symbolizes the sky, ocean, and the Hindu god, Krishna. Green represents springtime and the blossoming of flowers. Yellow is used in many religious ceremonies, and it is symbolizing luck and fortune. Finally, the red powder represents love. These powders are used to smear on the faces of friends and family and to also throw at others.
Overall, Holi is a great celebration used to bring people together. Through this article, I got to learn many new things about Holi that I never knew of before. I think it is important to learn the meaning of these celebrations before we take part in them. Holi is not just about throwing pretty powders at each other but is about setting aside grudges and prejudice to treat everyone equally and with kindness. I’m glad that I got be a part of the Holi celebration at Jefferson and hope to go to more in the future!