The purples of mountain laurel blossoms and the yellows of pollen were far from the only colors filling campus on March 23. For many South Asian students, the beginning of spring is marked by vibrant colors, as well as a joyous physical and metaphorical cleaning of the self.
Last Saturday, South Asian Student Association (SASA) hosted their third annual Holi Celebration on Prassel Lawn. Holi, or the festival of colors, falls on the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Phalguna, when societal differences are ignored and everyone is seen as equals. The tradition of Holi comes from Hindu mythology as a celebration of the triumph of good over evil.
SASA provided students with custom white Holi shirts, gulal (the vibrant powder used to stain clothes), water balloons and various other water activities. Traditional Indian cuisine was also served to students who attended the event.
For South Asian students away from home, SASA’s Holi can provide a sense of familiarity. For Avani Raol, senior business analytics and technology major, Holi has always been a tradition she celebrated with her family. As president of SASA, Raol hopes to supplement the traditions and celebrations students find themselves missing while at university.
“It’s, again, just that bringing that home away from home and forming some community that is not only for the South Asian students, but for the entirety of Trinity to come together and celebrate diverse cultures and be more open minded and aware of what’s going around outside of the campus,” Raol said.
For many students, the SASA Holi is a first, including for Insiyah Yusufali, senior psychology major. Yusufali enjoyed the company of friends and the South Asian food provided.
“I had a great time participating in throwing the colored powder with my friends,” Yusufali said. “Having events like Holi that expose students to different cultures can help them gain new experiences.”
For Ani Siva, junior biochemistry and molecular biology major, Holi represents the cleansing of the soul and welcoming new beginnings, which aligns well with the start of the spring season. While some celebrate the spiritual aspect of Holi, others may use this day to connect and spend time with friends.
“It’s pretty much a big excuse to have as much fun as possible with your friends, but it signifies pretty much the removing of impurity from the body,” Siva said. “So, it’s a super fun event. In other words, what more of an explanation do you need to just throw water balloons at your friends, and throw color powder at your friends and wake up with it still in your hair three days later?”
Holi may be an excuse to have some outdoor fun, but the larger impacts of cultural events like Holi have greater significance in the Trinity community. Student-led events like Holi give opportunities for students to experience cultures they normally would not encounter, cultivating Trinity’s value of global awareness.
“The biggest thing, primarily, is giving these students that have different cultural backgrounds than what we normally see at places like Trinity, giving them the space and platform to express that and celebrate that, not feeling like we have to fight to show our culture and what it really means to be us,” Siva said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re South Asian or not, anyone’s invited to Holi. Anyone can throw a water balloon at anyone’s face. You don’t need to feel excluded.”
