On April 10, the Choate community celebrated Holi, a festival that originated in ancient India to celebrate the arrival of spring. Organized by the Choate South Asian Association (CSAA), the festival took place in front of St. John Chapel. It included many activities that celebrated both Holi and traditional Hindu and Indian cultures.
CSAA members kicked off the event by explaining the significance of Holi to the students present. “It was important to me that the community learned about the festival and why it’s so special to Hindus, rather than thinking of it as a colored powder fight,” said CSAA President Shivani Sharma ’22.
Sharma led a Bollywood dance lesson. “As someone who constantly listens to Bollywood music, I really enjoyed helping create the playlist,” she said. Participants also joined in a water and colored powder fight, which is a popular part of Holi. Attendees then learned how to make Rangoli art with colored sand.
CSAA adviser Ms. Smita Sen said that Holi is “a joyous celebration borne from different Hindu myths. Some celebrate Holi to honor the playful love between Radha and Krishna, others honor the story of Prahalad and Holika.”
She continued, “No matter which mythological origin is followed, Holi is celebrated with revelry, dancing, and throwing colored powders to honor the changing of the seasons, and the rise of spring on the full moon day of Phalguna.”
While Holi was celebrated in India on March 28, the event at Choate was delayed due to quarantine conditions at the beginning of the spring term. This gave CSAA members more time to prepare and coordinate the purchase of materials with the Student Activities Center. Sharma said, “I have been hoping to hold this event since freshman year. My culture is important to me, and I wanted to share an important Hindu festival with our community.”
Non-Hindu attendees also appreciated the opportunity to celebrate Holi. “Choate can benefit from celebrating Holi since it allows Choate students to understand the fact that there are so many different cultures,” said Angela Deng ’22.
Similarly, Jimena Acosta ’23, who also attended the festival, said, “It’s a way for everyone to know more about different cultures. People want to share their cultures, and students just want to learn.”
Ms. Sen said, “It’s from this kind of supportive and participatory engagement that we will learn to understand and appreciate each other more deeply.”
