With the advent of spring comes the sweet smell of blossoming flowers, the sounds of students throwing Frisbees around and the opportunity to ring in the season Holi-style.
The Indian Students Association is hosting its annual Holi Fest, its take on the Hindu festival of Holi, otherwise known as the Festival of Color.
The Holi festival welcomes spring but also promotes a unity in diversity and heralds joy, hope and fulfillment, said Bhakti Shah, the president of the Indian Students Association and a graduate student studying education.
“Like the colors of the rainbow, that are different yet together, they reflect beauty,” she said. “This festival brings together all the colors of India’s diversity in a rainbow of unity.”
To celebrate Holi, the Indian Students Association will have students and staff perform various dance and musical pieces exemplifying different types of Indian culture, varying from traditional to Bollywood, during Sunday’s festivities.
A full Indian meal will also be served, including items such as mango lassi, naan, Bhindi Masala and Aloo Matar.
Participants in the event also have the opportunity to participate in the playing of colors, where colored powder is applied to each other’s faces to symbolize that no differences exist between people.
For the first time at OU, a more exact playing of colors will happen Saturday afternoon. People will throw colored powder at each other to celebrate Holi, said Manindra Singh, the acting cultural director for the Indian Students Association and a doctoral student studying molecular and cellular biology.
“This is going to be a very informal gathering for those who want to participate in playing of colors or for those interested in learning what Holi is about,” he said.
Although there is no time yet decided for Saturday’s playing of colors, the location will be off-campus, most likely at Carriage Hill Apartments, Shah said.
“In India, we celebrate so many festivals, and it’s always fun,” said Vishal Dongare, the treasurer for the Indian Students Association and a graduate student studying medical engineering. “Here, you miss all of that. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate, and it is a cool experience for others to learn about our celebrations.”
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