Amidst the gusty winds of March 24, colorful powders of pinks, blues, greens and reds filled the sky in celebration of Holi. The South Asian Student Association (SASA) hosted its annual Holi celebration, also known as the Festival of Colors, to commemorate the beginning of spring.
Traditionally, bright powders are tossed in the air and onto one another to signify new beginnings. This joyous Hindu celebration is often thought of as a time of rebirth and rejuvenation when the harshness of winter is gone and new life may begin.
In Hindu culture, Holi encapsulates the idea of relinquishing the past and beginning anew to move forward with positivity and leave behind negativity.
“It marks the start of [the] spring season in South Asia and has some significance regarding righteousness with forgiveness,” Pavan More, SASA club president, said.
“It’s supposed to be colorful to forget [the] bad mistakes of everyone and just to socialize, have fun. So, it’s a kind of new beginning of relationships.”
As colors swirled throughout the air, attendees chased each other around the rugby field yelling, “Happy Holi!” before playfully showering one another with color bombs. Popular Indian music played while celebrators laughed and danced in between catching their friends with sneak attacks of color.
This playful celebration was marked by the energy of the Holi participants, all of whom were in high spirits despite the cloudy skies.
The vibrant explosion of colors made more prominent by the white shirts worn by most attendees, left an infectious sense of joy in the air and showcased the sense of community that SASA has cultivated on campus.
“Volunteering is the best part of being a part of SASA because you get to meet a lot of people and get to interact with them, it’s a nice community that we have,” Purva Rao, SASA club member, said.
For More, the time spent planning the Holi Party was worth the effort because of how much everyone enjoyed themselves. He said for many SASA members, the club is like a home away from home and Holi is a time to celebrate the community.
Multiple attendees moved to the United States from India to earn their degrees at Long Beach State and have found a much-needed slice of home within the SASA community.
“When you travel 7,000 miles away from your home you can say that the South Asian Student Association is a second home to me. You can socialize with people that are from nearby your home … and it’s been really great,” More said.
With the purchase of a $10 ticket, participants received a tasty box of food alongside a refreshing drink and were entered into a raffle that included prizes, including an air fryer and a deluxe fan.
The purchase of the ticket garnered not only these tangible items for celebrators but also the intangible feeling of creating happy memories within their community.
For all future SASA events, follow their Instagram page.