The Indian Student Association of Tuscaloosa and the Nepalese Student Association came together to celebrate Holi on campus on March 23.
Holi is the festival of colors that is part of Hindu celebration that marks the triumph of good over evil, Radha and Krishna’s love, and the arrival of spring.
Holi has previously been celebrated for the past three years at the Jack Warner Transportation Museums, but through the work of the two student associations’ leaders and John Gilmer, the University’s assistant director of student involvement, the event was held on the Quad this year.
The Indian Student Association’s description of the event on mySource states, “Our primary aim with organizing the Holi event is to showcase India’s rich culture, diversity, and traditions. We strive to foster connections between people of multicultural and multilingual background through our events.”
This colorful and meaningful event was shared with over 500 people from the University and Tuscaloosa community. Dance and musical performances took place as well as free Indian-Nepalese cuisine and a photo booth.
Praphull Kumar, the president of the Indian Student Association and a graduate student studying physics and astronomy, wants to continue to use the event to unify all students on campus.
“Our event has always been open and free and has always been a unified UA campus-wide event and will make sure to continue these traditions in future,” Kumar wrote. “We try to make sure that people who come to our event have a really good time and this year HOLI was definitely the one.”
Pawonee Khadka, the president of the Nepalese Student Association, said there are only 40 Nepalese students at the University.
“HOLI is a beautiful celebration in our country, as is in India, and to be able to bring this happy and colorful event to campus, meant that even with the tiniest presence, we are seen, heard and celebrated here, and that is what makes UA our home,” Khadka wrote.
