The Indian Undergraduate Associate (IUA) celebrated Holi Hai on Palmer Lawn this past Wednesday. According to IUA President Pratik Shah, “Holi Hai is the celebration of the harvest as farmers begin to finally grow crops again.” The festival marks an end of the harsh winter months and the beginning of an auspicious spring.
One Holi Hai tradition that the IUA includes in its celebration is the throwing of colored powder. The holiday has religious roots: an evil king, Hiranyakashipu, thought of himself as a God, yet his son worshipped Lord Vishnu. The son’s aunt, Holika, was infuriated and sat in a fire with the son while protecting herself with a protective blanket. Lord Vishnu respected the son and allowed the blanket to cover the son, burning Holika instead. The story represents the power of good over evil, which is why those who celebrate build a bonfire. Ash was applied to people’s foreheads until it was replaced with colored powder. “Throwing the powder at one another symbolizes your hopes and wishes for [their] good fortune,” said Shah.
The IUA hopes to promote the South-Asian culture by hosting events such as Holi Hai. “We attempt [to] show everyone that anyone can be a part of the celebration as it is a world-wide phenomenon,” said Shah. “We also love celebrating this event as Indians who usually grow up celebrating this holiday with family and friends and we [want] to do so with our fellow friends and classmates.”
