By Jeffrey Heng and Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla, Co-Opinion Editor and Co-Sports Editor
Dashes of red, splashes of green and clouds of purple powder all dotted the area by the Conestoga outdoor track. On Thursday, Mar. 13, members of Desi Club came together to partake in the club’s annual Holi Celebration. Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, is a celebration of the coming of spring. The festival also signifies the triumph of good over evil.
“It’s not just about throwing colors at each other,” said junior Rohini Akshayapatra. “It’s about the friendship and values between people.”
The Desi Club board started the planning process for this event in early February. The board’s main responsibilities included finding a suitable location for the event, generating student interest and obtaining the powders necessary for the celebration. They generated interest through the club’s Schoology and social media pages, and students could register through a form.
“I love ’Stoga’s Holi event, and it’s the best because all my friends get to come here with free colors. Usually when you’re going outside, you have to go get your own colors,” Akshayapatra said. “The entry was only four bucks, and it’s fun hanging out with your friends and throwing colors, and it’s a memory”.
Thirty-two members attended the celebration. Energetic tunes played in the background as participants ran around and threw different colored powders at each other. Students captured this event and the memories made by posing for photos and videos together.
“I’m so glad I’m here. I need to see something like this after some of the heavy stuff I teach in history,” said history teacher and Desi Club adviser Merri Gardner. “I really feel with Hindu culture that we’re all invited — like I’m wanted here, and I can do and participate in this festival like everybody else. And I feel really grateful for that. For me, I get to be a part of my students’ life in a way that’s outside of my classroom. I’m a sucker for spring and rebirth, and when you look up what Holi is about, I’m just like ‘This is my festival.’”
Check out some photos from the event below!
Jeffrey Heng can be reached at [email protected].
Vaishnavi Sriadibhatla can be reached at [email protected].
