Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: News

In the Hindu tradition, Holi marks the downfall of the evil god Holika and the ushering in of spring.

It passed two weekends ago, but last Saturday that didn't seem to matter. Nearly 100 Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims and several others spanning the religious spectrum proclaimed the Indian holiday in customary fashion: by flinging colored dye.

Under a radiant sun on one of the first days of spring, students, sponsored by the Hindu Student Council, celebrated Holi with red, blue, green, purple and orange powders, covering one another in colors and water as they chased one another around the east side of McKeldin Mall.

The HSC alerted students through a Facebook group, but many who showed up found out through word of mouth, as the event provided a way for many students otherwise disconnected from the holiday, also known as the Festival of Colors, to celebrate.

From afar, the Technicolor mob seemed to be doing little more than running, screaming and shrieking. But up close, the festivities raged like a battle. Skirmishes broke out as sneak attacks and alliances proved common tactics for covering friends in dye, and few escaped without getting at least a little bit of neon on them.

As one student tried to hide in a corner, another ran after her, yelling, "Someone's still white!"

For Amar Dave, a Hindu biochemistry major who as a child went to temple a few times for Holi, these festivities exemplified how the holiday is meant to be celebrated. The festival didn't really click with him until he reached college, the senior said.

"It makes sense to college students not to go to temple," he said. "For me, it's more of a way to relax, to make new friends. There are always a lot of people I never met."

But that never matters in the mob of color-flinging festivities, he added. Junior biology major Somya Shesadri said the celebration didn't differ too much from her memories of Holi in India, even though students were studying on the other side of the mall. In India, streets shut down, as the holiday's importance is comparable to that of America's Fourth of July.

While Shesadri said Holi is a much smaller holiday for American Hindus than it is for those in India, the HSC's event at the university has opened the holiday up to many people who would be otherwise unfamiliar.

Senior electrical engineering major Jordan Wexler, a non-Hindu who marked his second Holi celebration this year, said seeing painted students return from the event his freshman year drew him to celebrate the next year. Though he was shaky on the details of the holiday's significance - "I found out once what it was supposed to be celebrated for, but I can't remember," he said - that doesn't mean he gained nothing from the experience.

"It's just really fun," Wexler said.

About halfway through the event, Student Government Association Speaker of the Legislature Nick Chamberlain wandered upon the celebration and decided to stay. Although he didn't quite join the fray, from a safe space he drew insights into Holi's significance.

"You can't tell who's Indian, white and black," Chamberlain said. "Because of all the color, it doesn't matter."

Dave said that was the point.

"It's a time when differences dissolve," he said. "It's about unity."

slivnickdbk@gmail.com

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