Holi, also known as the “Festival of Colours,” is an annual Hindu holiday meant to say goodbye to winter and commemorate the beginning of spring. It also has connections to the Hindu God, Krishna, whose skin was cursed by a demon. Krishna paints his love interest, Radha’s, skin blue to look like his, so it’s “in part a celebration of the love between Krishna and Radha that looks past differences.” One of the main ways this holiday is celebrated is with “gulal,” the iconic colourful Holi powder. Celebrators throw gulal on each other, turning the crowd into a festive rainbow!
UMANG: UVic Indian Students’ Association, in partnership with Vikes Nation, hosts the annual “Holi Colour Run” to celebrate this vibrant holiday. Students and community members wear white clothes and gather at UVic’s campus quad. The organizers play Bollywood, Punjabi, and pop music while participants run around the quad, getting covered in gulal! We decided to celebrate Holi and attend the colour run but we were a bit nervous because we hadn’t done anything like it before. Before the colour run started, students were already throwing gulal at each other.
Although the colours were beautiful and everyone was having fun, the Holi Run had a gnarly side. Many of us were coughing and spitting out bits of gulal powder that we breathed in while running. This didn’t stop us from having fun—when the endorphins started pumping from the run, suddenly, all was right in the world again! After three laps of the quad, we listened to music and chatted with other runners. We spoke with two event volunteers, Bhavneet and Yatin, and they shared that community, colour, and positivity are the highlights of UVic’s Holi run.
After we finished the Holi run we had to take the bus home. Next year we’re going to organize a ride home because we felt a bit silly being the only people covered in rainbow powder. Once we got home we had to peel off our clothes which were shedding gulal everywhere! Luckily we got them in the washing machine before staining the carpet. All said and done, we will definitely do the Holi Colour Run next year. It’s a great way to connect with people, get some exercise, de-stress during midterms, and bring in good energy for the rest of the year!
To see more photos from the event, check out the Indian Students’ Association’s Instagram page!
Every year, Holi celebrations around the world grow larger and more popular. People of all cultures are drawn to the positive energy and fun activities. Next year, Holi will fall on March 4, 2026, so keep an eye out for local events and be a part of the fun!