Holi - The Festival of Colors, Spring, & Love

Holi celebrations in India 

Have you ever seen a herd of people throwing powdered color at each other? Give it a few days and you'll witness this spectacle on our campus. Holi, in my opinion, is the most fun Indian festival and is approaching fast! Celebrated in the month of March, this joyous occasion marks the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Growing up in a Hindu household, I've embraced the vibrant chaos of Holi countless times. Armed with bags of gulal (colored powder) and water guns, I enjoy dousing my friends, family, and even strangers in a rainbow of hues. No one can escape me. In the festival, the air fills with laughter and shouts of "Holi hai!" as everyone becomes both artist and artwork. If getting drenched in colored powder is not your thing, then avoid. Seriously, it takes 1 hour long showers to get all the color out of my hair and skin. Regardless, I continue to participate every year because the joy of being amidst this dreamlike environment is well worth the extra effort and my increased water bill.

I've talked quite a bit about throwing colors, and you must be curious about why we do it? The reason is deeply rooted in its cultural significance. Throwing colors in the air and on people symbolizes the arrival of spring and celebrates love—especially the playful spirit of Lord Krishna, who is known for his mischievous antics with Radha (his crush). The act of throwing gulal represents joy and unity, breaking down social barriers as people from all walks of life come together to celebrate. 

Apart from the colorful madness, my next favorite part of Holi is making and eating Gujiyas (flakey pastries filled with dry fruits) with my mom (who also forced me to write this blog post on this topic). Every year until I moved out, my mom made everyone in the family sit around our square dinning table to help her make batches of these delicious pastries. Under her direction, we formed an assembly line where one person had to round up the dough, the second would have to form shell-shapes out of each dough ball, another person would add the filling between 2 shells, and my mom always ended with sealing the 2 shells shut and adding twisted knots on the pastry for shape. Then, we would take turns frying them and eat them hot! I have fond memories of this annual family tradition because it served as a great whole family bonding activity. Now that I'm away from home, I will truly miss this tradition and the festival. 

Gujiyas