Students celebrate the colorful holiday
University students joined a traditional festival of colors, spring and love at an event marking Holi on campus on March 8.
Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the end of the winter season and welcomes the arrival of spring. This festival not only celebrates the changing of the seasons but it’s a day to meet others, create memorable moments and repair broken relationships.
“It’s a festival of good over evil. There was a demon called Holika; she was killed by the gods. So, this is how we celebrate the celebration of good over evil. It’s a celebration of love, colors and lights,” Kayva Garkapogula, graduate student, said.
Typically, on the night before the festival, the tradition of “Holika Dahan” takes place which is the burning of wooden sticks that symbolize the legend of Holika and Prahalad.
Yash Jaiswal, president of the Association of Indian Students at TAMUK, described that Holi is celebrated on a grand and lavish level and is one of the major festivals celebrated. While the festival only lasts a day here, the celebration could last from two to three days in India.
“For me personally, Holi means coming out and enjoying to the fullest with friends and colors and being able to create some of the fondest memories. I enjoy playing with the colors and having some traditional Holi delicacies that are prepared during the festival,” Jaiswal said.
While Holi is mostly celebrated in India, there were quite a few students who knew about the festival and the meaning behind it.
TAMUK senior Etta Enow said she heard of what Holi stood for in her hometown. She expressed how she admired that the festival acted as a new beginning at which people are able to release all their inhibitions and start fresh.
Other students who attended the event not only enjoyed the festival but got to experience and learn what it was about while taking in another’s culture. TAMUK senior Velen Lenor said that while the university is heavy in the Mexican American culture, there are many other groups we can learn from.
“What I liked about the event was that it brings awareness to other cultures and that others can appreciate other people’s cultures. It makes me happy to see other people happy that they can celebrate their culture while being away from home,” senior Cristian Miranda said.
One hope that Jaiswal had from holding this festival was that students come out and have fun while socializing with others from different backgrounds and nationalities.
“People in this festival say to each other ‘Bura naa mano Holi Hai!’ Meaning don’t mind, it’s Holi!,” Jaiswa said.