People, music and colors filled the campus green space as the Festival of Colors took place Sunday. Indian Students Association organized the celebration of Holi where a few hundred people attended. in collaboration with SGA, Tiger Dining, ICC, UPC and other student organizations.
Holi is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in India for the arrival of spring.
“I’m here to celebrate the festival of Holi, its an Indian festival, where we play with colors and welcome spring,” said Ruchika Rungta, graduate student in economics.
ISA included games like musical chairs and tug of war before providing Indian food. ISA provided chole bhature, samosa and gulab jamun. Guests could take pictures in front of a colorful ‘selfie wall’ and dance to Bollywood music.
After food was served, cups full of colors were brought out and guests began throwing and smearing each other with the colorful powder in celebration.
Rungta, covered in colors, said she was happy to be participating in the festival.
“That’s the spirit of Holi,” she said.
Rungta said she celebrated Holi in Auburn before, but not on campus and with Indian families instead.
“I get to meet wonderful people like you, I mean celebrate with friends and it’s fun,” Rungta said. “Just wishing everyone a happy Holi.”
Aubie showed up and joined in on festivities taking pictures and getting a face full of color. Afterward, sprinklers were brought out on the lawn, so people could play in the water and wash off.
Roshan Saha, graduate student in economics, participates in Holi in India and was attending the festival for the first time in Auburn. He said the event reminded him of being in India.
“It’s Holi, it’s the brightest festival in India. I’m not home, but this is close to being home,” Saha said.
Holi is a celebration of many things and Saha said it has a significant importance to him.
“It’s bright, it’s colorful and everyone’s enjoying themselves. And, it's, I think signifies the triumph of good over evil,” Saha said.
Madhav Verma, graduate student in engineering and special project officer for ISA, said the festival was a celebration of unity.
“The basic motto behind this festival is, like, we do not have to discriminate anyone on the basis of their color of racism should not be here,” Verma said. “So, like, we put colors on the faces like you can not distinguish between different persons.”
Saha said it was an important for the University to put on this event for similar reasons.
“It encourages diversity. You get to know the culture about different countries and different people,” Saha said. “Helps us mix together.”
Student Government Association, International Cultural Center, Cross Cultural Center, University Program Council, the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, Auburn International Programs and Tiger Dining all joined together in collaboration for the event.
“We have so many student organizations who are actually helping us to hold this event, so many sponsors are there for this event. I can’t actually give them a name there are so many,” Verma said.
Jordan Fulker, executive vice president of outreach in SGA, said he wanted to interact with groups on campus more and volunteered to emcee the event after ISA asked for SGA’s help.
“This will be my first event so, I’m really excited to work with [ISA] and learn about Holi and why it’s celebrated and a whole lot more about it,” Fulker said.
Fulker said this was a time to step away from the stress of schoolwork and celebrate with friends and family.
“We don’t get to do a whole lot of that especially during the busy semester about this time it’s close to finals and everything,” Fulker said. “So, its good to be able to just spend time with people and make new friends and then make memories with the friends that you do have.”
Varun Viswanathan, graduate student in electrical engineering and vice president of special projects in ISA, emceed the event with Fulker.
Viswanathan said Indian philosophy is about celebrating every moment of life and believes the festival of Holi is for people to cherish these moments.
“I hope that all these people over here will be able to enjoy the day with dance and music and just letting all their problems out, just being one with everyone and let them all forget just about their worries and enjoy the day,” Viswanathan said. “So, that they can start fresh and start energetic.”
Viswanathan said he is thankful for the organizations that participated in Holi and said the ISA would love to collaborate with all the same organizations in the future.
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