Red, blue, orange, green. Heaps of colors fly here and there as families and friends gather in celebration for the annual Indian Holi Festival.

As springtime rolls around, multiple Holi festivals throughout the Bay Area begin to take place. The official date of the holiday is March 27, though certain celebrations take place at later dates, such as the Stanford festival on April 6 and 7.

“Just seeing the majestic colors fly across and strike people’s faces so elegantly. It’s honestly a very exciting holiday where family and friend bonding occurs naturally,” Shikhar Dixit (10) said. “I think everyone should experience the fun and spiritual times of Holi, the great festival of colors.”

The Holi celebration, an annual tradition passed on through generations, signifies the arrival of spring and feelings of friendship and reunion. Though the holiday itself has roots in Hindu mythology, Holi has become much more modernized throughout the years.

“I’ve celebrated it both in India and here. In India, it’s crazy. People throwa water balloons at each other (and even at strangers) from the rooftops. Almost everyone is involved and random people squirt water at each other or throw colors around,” Sarina Vij (12) said. “Here, you usually do it within smaller communities, but something like Stanford Holi is awesome because it brings a larger community together.”

Students have already begun preparing for the festival, planning out where and when they will celebrate.

“I’ve gone and celebrated only once before at RANA Holi with my friends. This year I’m planning to go to Stanford Holi,” Dhanush Madabusi (9) said.

Though traditionally a Hindu celebration, Holi engages students of other various races, whether to support their fellow peers or merely to have a fun time experiencing the customs of another culture.

“I like learning about the culture of most of my friends and a majority of the school’s population, and it’s a really fun way to do so,” Vivian Isenberg (10) said.

Although some students chose to abstain from the celebration and colorful games due to conflicting dates or simply by personal preference, the festival still continues to grow in popularity.
“I enjoy celebrating Holi because I find it fun to throw colors around,” Krish Sanghi (11) said. “Celebrating does not necessarily have to be for a religious cause. Those who don’t normally participate in the celebration should go out to events such as Stanford Holi and enjoy the fun of throwing color.”

As the end of March approaches and April nears, more details regarding the various Holi festivals will be announced.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on March 29, 2013