Students smile with joy at first Festival of Colors

BY ANDREA LOPEZ Arts and Life Assistant

The South Asian Student Association held its first Holi celebration, Festival of Colors, at Rugby Field on Long Beach State’s lower campus.

It was celebration full of smiles, laughter while dancing, and plenty of color being tossed into the air to celebrate the beginning of a new season and eternal love.

Holi is a significant Hindu festival, also known as the Festival of Colors. It is a celebration of the returning season of spring and love. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and also signifies the eternal love of god Radha and Krishna.

Students wore all white to the field, casual attire was recommended. Color powder of purple, red, green, yellow and orange was presented in plastic bowls, for celebrators to throw in celebration to one another and shout, “Happy Holi!”

Mitali Jain, ASI Vice President of Finance expressed utter joy celebrating a day that was once celebrated back in India.

“I came here in 2016 from India and this is my first time celebrating Holi again in the U.S.,” said Jain. “For me, it means to express my culture again, to feel a bit like home away from home. So, this is happiness right here.”

The event stationed photo opportunity areas for students to take photos. A live DJ played songs by Ajay-Atul. Shreya Ghoshal, Pritam and Akhtar Channal, amongst others. As students first entered

Rugby Field, a large white sheet of paper had the colored prints of everyone’s hand and a section of the field was devoted to bowls of color to begin the celebration of a new beginning.

For many students, this was their first time celebrating the Festival of Colors in the U.S.

“It’s very overwhelming because we are Indian and we miss our hometown,” said CSULB student Sharvika Kulkarni. “So, having Holi here and making this arrange- ment for us, it’s very overwhelming.”

To celebrate Holi in the U.S. was not what Kulkarni was expecting, but was extremely excited for the Festival of Colors and what the event was bringing to the field.

Nagung Badel said the Festival of Colors was an event that a few seniors have been working to accomplish on campus.

“In this way, we spread the news that spreading color in the world is a very good thing,” said Badel.