Photo Gallery: Holi Celebrates the Coming of Spring at UMD
Students throw colored powder at each other during Holi celebrations on the mall. Holi, a traditional Hindu holiday, is “traditionally celebrated with the colored dye, water, lots of things,” says freshman computer science major Sahana Rao. Rao, who helped organize the event, worked with UMD’s Hindu Student Council. (Photo by Julia Lerner/ Bloc Reporter)Students gather at the end of the mall to celebrate Holi, a traditional Hindu holiday. The holiday, according to Smeet Butala, a spanish major, is “the celebration of good triumphing over evil. It’s celebrating traditionally the time when there was an evil king who tried to kill his son, and after he prayed to god he was able to overcome his evil uncle, aunt, and father trying to kill him, and it’s a symbolization of good triumphing over evil.” (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter).People who celebrate Holi use the brightly colored dyes as a way of celebrating color and light. Rao says “Apart from the religion, Holi is the arrival of spring, so warm weather, spreading the love and spreading the happiness around with bright colors.” (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)Students at the Hindu Student’s Council celebrated with DJ Kush, who provided a mix of traditional indian music and EDM, allowing students to dance and sing along, while also pelting each other with colored dyes. (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)Students at the Hindu Student’s Council celebrated with DJ Kush, who provided a mix of traditional indian music and EDM, allowing students to dance and sing along, while also pelting each other with colored dyes. (Photo by Julia Lerner/ Bloc Reporter)It was not only the Hindu Student’s Council out celebrating Holi- hundreds of students showed up at the mall today to celebrate. “Usually it’s a lot larger, with a lot more people celebrating,” says Butala, who helped organize the event. (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)It was not only the Hindu Student’s Council out celebrating Holi- hundreds of students showed up at the mall today to celebrate. “Usually it’s a lot larger, with a lot more people celebrating,” says Butala, who helped organize the event. (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)After the explosions of dye, students washed their bodies off in the fountain on McKeldin, turning the water many shades of pink. (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)As the event drew to a close, students danced around the end of the mall as DJ Kush pumped more traditional indian songs into the air. Students linked arms, sang, dance, and used the last of their dyes to color their friends. (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)
Featured Photo Credit: It was not only the Hindu Student’s Council out celebrating Holi- hundreds of students showed up at the mall today to celebrate. “Usually it’s a lot larger, with a lot more people celebrating,” says Butala, who helped organize the event. (Photo by Julia Lerner/Bloc Reporter)
Julia Lerner is a freshman multiplatform journalism major and may be reached at julia.lerner.96@gmail.com.
