The UK Student Activities Board threw its annual Holi event on the main lawn March 8 for anyone to attend. 

Holi, or the “Festival of Colors,” is a two-day traditional Indian festival recognized as a national holiday in India. The holiday is celebrated on the last full moon of the last lunar month of Phalguna. 

Holi began Tuesday night on March 7, and was celebrated throughout Wednesday, March 8.

Holi traditionally celebrates the end of winter by the throwing of colors to “throw away the gloom of winter,” the triumph of good over evil when the god Lord Vishnu defeated the king of demons, and the eternal love of Radha Krishna — the symbol of divine love. 

Many who celebrate Holi today still follow the religious backstory, while others see it as a time to come together with family.

“Holi means a time to spend with my family and celebrate each other with food and festivals,” Avanti Sawardekar, a SAB Holi celebration attendee, said. “Today, I had a great time throwing colors with my friends and attacking them with colors and water.” 

Holi is rooted in traditional Indian Mythology. The throwing of the colors comes from the story of the god Krishna painting the skin of Radha, a milkmaid who becomes his beloved. 

The eve of Holi is called Holika Dahan, and bonfires are lit to symbolize the burning of the demon Holika. These bonfires and throwing of colors are both mentioned in some of the earliest Indian texts. 

Princess Magor Agbozo, Student Activities Board director of multicultural affairs, organized UK’s celebration in collaboration with the Indian Student Association. 

“Holi has been an annual event that we’ve always done,” Agbozo said. “Bringing it back on campus, especially now without as many COVID restrictions, students will be able to have that experience in its full scale.”

At the event, there was Indian food, henna and yard games for the crowd to enjoy before the throwing of colors began. Many families and students arrived to celebrate the beginning of spring.

The throwing of colors began at 6:15 p.m., around an hour after the event began. There was a countdown, and the main lawn became a colorful cloud.

Friends chased each other around with color, and laughter filled the air. 

“Holi means happiness with family, lots of food, lots of fun,” Abhilash Prabhat, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physiology at UK, said. “Getting together to our old village, and repay to our gods. It’s more about friendship and taking care of our family.”

Some people at the event didn’t participate in the throwing of colors, but the meaning of the event still came through. 

“I think Holi is just all about being able to bring excitement and fun and joy to everyone around you,” Khushi Vaidia, an attendee, said. “I have celebrated Holi before. I don’t really do the whole coloring thing, but it’s just a fun experience to bring everybody together and just be in the community.”

The throwing of colors lasted around an hour, and once the colors died down, some attendees left. Others stayed and danced with their friends to the Indian music playing. 

“Holi is basically a spring festival,” attendee Meena Ooshini said. “The beginning of spring, life.”