The East Campus Commons field was filled with explosions of color as students threw bright hues of powder up into the air – and at each other – during last week's traditional Holi celebration.
“It’s a fun event for students to get outdoors and celebrate life,” said Jennifer Currie, interim assistant director for International Student & Scholar Services.
Holi is a spring festival celebrated in India that signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring and the end of winter.
The BSU Holi was conceived as a cultural event by BSU’s International Culture Club (ICC) last year when Ghislaine van de Laarschot, G’18, organized the inaugural celebration.
“It’s really important to celebrate the cultures that are not as represented at the school,” Ghislaine said.
Because last year’s event was so much fun, ICC President Zachary Wright, ’18, brought it back again.
“Not only is it a great event to de-stress for the final exams, but primarily Holi is a way to simultaneously explore a new culture and have fun,” he said.
And, it wasn’t the only colorful cultural activity on campus. On Saturday, United Caribbean Culture hosted a Jouver’t event, which is similar to Holi. Attendees enjoyed music and exchanged paint and colored powder.
“Come clean, in clothes you don’t particularly care about messing up, and leave dirty covered in culture!” organizers wrote about Jouver’t.
Back at the Holi festivities, curiosity drew friends, and swim and dive team members, Bridgette McGovern and Jenny Marmion, both members of the class of 2019.
“I had heard and knew about the festival in India and thought it would be a cool experience to do it here,” Bridgette said.
Both women jumped right in and were decorated with color when all was said and done.
Attendees were also treated to fare that included; chicken curry, gulab jamun, naan and veggie samosas.
The event was funded by the Student Government Association and sponsored by the ICC and ISSS. (Photos by Heather Harris Michonski, University News; Brian Benson contributed.)