Holi! Look at all of those colours!

Last weekend, students from all walks of life and corners of the Earth came together at the UVic residence complex to celebrate the important Hindu  festival of Holi!

Without much background on the festival, I just thought it would be a fun thing to do with my friends and maybe get a little colourful in the process.

The basic premise of Holi for most non-Hindus like myself is pretty simple.  You show up, eat some food, listen to some music and throw brightly coloured paint powder at your friends while simultaneously, but not always intentionally, getting it all over yourself.  And while all of those things did occur when I was actually part of the celebration, it wasn’t until I actually researched it a little bit that I found out why it was such a significant celebration.

Known as the Festival of Colours, or the Festival of Love, Holi signifies things like good triumphing over evil and the arrival of Spring.  It is a day to forgive and forget what has been done in the past and to repair relationships.

Long ago, when this festival began, people would apply ash to their foreheads as a sign of respect for the legend from which this celebration comes.  Over time, this ash turned to coloured powder and it has evolved into what we know as Holi today!

The ideas behind this seemingly simple practice are so amazing and it makes you feel like you are truly a part of something ancient and sacred.  So, if you ever have a chance to see it or be a part of it, take it!  You won’t regret it, but you may find colour in your ears for the next few days!