|
|
|
PITTSBURG —
You don’t have to be from India to enjoy Holi, the Indian spring Festival of Colors.
The Pittsburg State University Indian Student Association sponsored its annual free public celebration from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Gorilla Village.
“We have it on Facebook, and expect around 200 people,” said Abhishek Aloori, association president.
Holi, a Hindu festival that occurs at the end of the winter season, commemorates the escape of Prahlad when the Demoness Holika carried him into a fire. Holika was burned but Prahlad escaped without harm because of his unshakable devotion to the god Vishnu.
“It celebrates the victory of good over evil, and it’s fun,” Aloori said. “We celebrate with joy, play and dance.”
A special feature of Holi is that participants fling colored powder on each other and spray each other with water using hoses or squirters.
“We ordered almost 11 different colors from an Indian supplier in Florida,” said Vedant Dhruv, association vice president.
Those colors included magenta, purple, orange, yellow and green.
“These are all natural colors and they wash out, but in India we use some permanent markers,” Dhruv said.
Aloori said there’s another difference as well.
“In India, before the day of Holi, we burn some evil stuff,” he said. “We can’t do that in Pittsburg because of restrictions.”
The festival always comes to a wet end.
“We throw each and every one into the University Lake when we are done,” Aloori said. “We had to get permission from PSU to do it.”
Numerous non-Indians showed up, including international students from other nations and lots of Americans.
“I hadn’t come before, but it looked like a fun thing to do on a Saturday,” said PSU student Jessica Sewing.
PSU student Rashid Bey, Kansas City, ended up with all the colors of the rainbow on his face, hair and clothing. He was also soaking wet, and loving it.
“It’s awesome, just an awesome event, and it’s brought so many people together,” Bey said.
In a way, Holi does something similar in India, where the observance temporarily brings together those of all social classes, rich and poor, men and women.
“Holi is a loose day,” said Dr. Ananda Jayawardhana, association advisor. “If you are in the street, anyone can throw paint on you and it’s all right. On one day of the year everybody is equal.”
You don’t have to be from India to enjoy Holi, the Indian spring Festival of Colors.
The Pittsburg State University Indian Student Association sponsored its annual free public celebration from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Gorilla Village.
“We have it on Facebook, and expect around 200 people,” said Abhishek Aloori, association president.
Holi, a Hindu festival that occurs at the end of the winter season, commemorates the escape of Prahlad when the Demoness Holika carried him into a fire. Holika was burned but Prahlad escaped without harm because of his unshakable devotion to the god Vishnu.
“It celebrates the victory of good over evil, and it’s fun,” Aloori said. “We celebrate with joy, play and dance.”
A special feature of Holi is that participants fling colored powder on each other and spray each other with water using hoses or squirters.
“We ordered almost 11 different colors from an Indian supplier in Florida,” said Vedant Dhruv, association vice president.
Those colors included magenta, purple, orange, yellow and green.
“These are all natural colors and they wash out, but in India we use some permanent markers,” Dhruv said.
Aloori said there’s another difference as well.
“In India, before the day of Holi, we burn some evil stuff,” he said. “We can’t do that in Pittsburg because of restrictions.”
The festival always comes to a wet end.
“We throw each and every one into the University Lake when we are done,” Aloori said. “We had to get permission from PSU to do it.”
Numerous non-Indians showed up, including international students from other nations and lots of Americans.
“I hadn’t come before, but it looked like a fun thing to do on a Saturday,” said PSU student Jessica Sewing.
PSU student Rashid Bey, Kansas City, ended up with all the colors of the rainbow on his face, hair and clothing. He was also soaking wet, and loving it.
“It’s awesome, just an awesome event, and it’s brought so many people together,” Bey said.
In a way, Holi does something similar in India, where the observance temporarily brings together those of all social classes, rich and poor, men and women.
“Holi is a loose day,” said Dr. Ananda Jayawardhana, association advisor. “If you are in the street, anyone can throw paint on you and it’s all right. On one day of the year everybody is equal.”
