Every year the South Asian Students Association (SASA) brings together the Clark community to the Green to celebrate Holi, also known as the festival of colours. To me, Holi has been a time when friends come together and enjoy time filled with colours and food. However, Holi is much more than just that. This Hindu festival marks the arrival of Spring and is a celebration of fertility, colour, and love, as well as the triumph of good versus evil.
What exactly is Holi?
The festival of Holi is split into two events: Holika Dahan and Rangawali Holi.
Holika Dawan takes place the night before the day of throwing colours. Dung-cakes and Wood are burned in a symbolic fire to signify good triumphing over evil. The next morning people would gather in the streets to celebrate Rangawali Holi. Millions clad in white, take to public spaces to throw fistfuls of coloured powders and drench each other with water guns. Traditionally, the colours powders were made through dying turmeric powder with floral extracts.
Why is it celebrated?
There is no singular significance behind Holi; the festival draws from a range of stories from Indian mythology. One of the most popular stories is that of good overcoming evil in the form of Price Prahlad and demon Holika. The simple version of this story is that there was a powerful king named Hiranyakshyap whose son, Prince Prahlad, worshipped Lord Vishnu instead of him. The king took this as betrayal from his heir and conspired a way to have his son killed by fire. The king constructed a deal that Prahlad would sit on the lap of the King’s sister, the demon Holika, and the two of them would be burnt in the fire. Holika had a magic sari that would protect her from being burnt. However, when the fire was lit, Prahlad called on lord Vishnu. Prahlad emerged from flames untouched, while the fire consumed the demon.
Another story behind Holi brings us to the love story of Radha and Krishna. Krishna, who had blue skin, was madly in love with Radha but thought that his different skin colour was an obstacle. Heeding the advice of his mother, Krishna spreads paint on Radha’s face so they could look the same.
Despite the plethora of reasons why the celebration of Holi started, there is one common reason why it is celebrated today: to bring together a community.
When is it?
It takes place on the last full moon of the Hindu lunar month Phalguna, which can fall anywhere between late February and late March in the Gregorian calendar. This year the festival was celebrated on March 13 but SASA celebrates the festival here at Clark in April primarily due to delayed Spring weather here in Worcester. This year SASA is sharing both Holika Dahan and Rangawali Holi with all of us. Join SASA this weekend for a full experience of this festival. There will be a bonfire the night of 15th that will be chance for people to learn more about the significance of Holi. The throwing of colours will be on Sunday the 16th.
Follow the event page or the SASA Facebook page for more information:
