Washburn University hosted a celebration of Holi, a festival of colors and joy, March 14 in front of the former International House, bringing students from different corners of the world together to embrace cultural differences and celebrate the joy of unity.
The event was organized by the Washburn International Club, in collaboration with The Aleshier Centre for Leadership and Community Engagement and The Intersection.
Holi is rooted in ancient traditions and history. It is believed that the festival marks the triumph of goodness over evil and celebrates the legendary love between the Hindu gods, Radha and Krishna. The festival also marks the beginning of the spring season, symbolizing the vibrant colors of nature.
The celebration started at 2 p.m. and within no time students transformed the lawn into a colorful, energetic scene. Packets of colored powders were eagerly being passed from one person to another and they put colors on each other’s faces. Water balloons were tossed into the air and thrown at each other, and buckets full of water were emptied over people’s heads.
Others went all out, using the water hose to splash water on their friends, soaking them completely. Some were enjoying Pakauda and Lassi, Nepali food and drink, while others danced their hearts out to the music.
Stuti Neupane, Freshman computer science major, talked about her experience of partaking in the Holi event and expressed her feelings about it.
“This was my first Holi festival away from home and I thought that I would be alone and not get the chance to celebrate it like I used to with my family,” Neupane said. “But, the university, and the International Club, made sure to make us feel at home. The energy here today reminded me of back home. It was a fun, chaotic and joyful environment like we used to have in our country. I totally enjoyed the celebration and had a lot of fun.”
Mohammad Asfaque, the president of the Washburn International Club, expressed his thoughts on the event.
“It was a good experience overall. Last year we went to the Hindu temple in Kansas City, and this year we thought maybe we should celebrate it on campus to engage more people, and we did it this year. We had Aleshire Centre and The Intersection as our collaborators. They helped us with the food and music system.” Asfaque said. “I was taken back to the time we played [during] Holi in Nepal. It was nostalgic for a little bit, and then it was wild at the end. The music, the people, it got all wild and it was a good experience.”
Josie Riddle, sophomore art major, also shared her experience of participating in the celebration for the first time.
“It was my first time participating in Holi and it was really fun. I loved how energetic everyone was and I liked the music that was played; it was really fun to dance to. I also got to meet new people and make some friends. I’d definitely want to join next year and I’d probably also invite people to come with me too,” Riddle said.
The Holi celebration at Washburn was a step in bringing students together and erasing the feeling of homesickness for Nepalese students. The event provided them a feeling of connection and belonging to experience a festival they hold value for, even while thousands of miles away from home. The festival was also a reminder that the warmth and joy of the festivals and cultures are equally beautiful and joyful even in a foreign country.
Edited by Stuti Khadka and Morgan Albrecht
