Once crisp white clothes were embellished by splashes of deep blues, neon pinks and vibrant greens at Holi, celebrated by the South Asian Student Association at the Women’s Building on Saturday.

Holi — filled with color, music and camaraderie — is celebrated all over India to mark the transition from winter to spring, but for many, the celebration is also about coming together as a community.

“I know the actual historical significance of (Holi) is surrounding the harvest season, spring and the triumph of good over evil,” Shelly Bhanot, the president of SASA, said. “But personally I think it’s just a fun way to connect with friends and family, and just throw color!”

Ahead of the event, SASA posted an “ultimate guide” for people celebrating Holi for the first time. SASA recommended wearing white clothes that you don’t mind getting messy, because a main element of the celebration is tossing colored powders and spraying colored water. Additionally, sunglasses or a bandana worn on the head are two great ways to keep the colors from getting in your hair and eyes, the post read.

Under a pink, teal, yellow and green balloon arch, members of SASA offered people bags of brightly colored powders to sprinkle on friends, to decorate your own face or to simply throw into the air. As time passed, the crowd of people became brightly multicolored.

“My favorite part was having complete strangers wish me a ‘Happy Holi’ and wipe color on my face,” said Stephanie Saba, an international relations graduate student who attended her first Holi on Saturday.

The Holi organizers documented the experience of the vivid hues and striking view of colors flowing in the wind. Photographers, videographers and even a drone captured the rainbow clouds and decorated clothes.

With the goal of photographing the celebration in mind, SASA prepared a few props. At one edge of the field, massive gold balloons read “HOLI,” and people passed picture frames, adorned with orange and yellow flowers, around the crowd.

Grant Cheung, an information studies graduate student, was taking photos and even brought an umbrella so that people could pour powders into the top, flip the umbrella over their heads and consequently have a great photo op of the colors of Holi showering down on them.

SASA has hosted a celebration for Holi the past 10 years, Bhanot said. She added that SASA tried to make its Holi similar to how she and other members celebrated at home to convey the sense of family they felt.

“I’m so happy I was able to find this club and be able to celebrate this event at school,” she said, “because I never thought I would (celebrate), to be honest, away from home.”

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SASA served traditional Indian foods, including samosas, chai, mango lassi and gulab jamun. They also featured a Hindi playlist, including songs like “Desi Girl,” “Kaun Nachdi,” “Bom Diggy Diggy” and “Sheila Ki Jawani.” Most of the crowd joined together to dance to “Balam Pichkari,” which was first played in a Bollywood movie “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.”

Along with its ties to the spring season and goodness in the world, Holi also celebrates people putting aside their differences, coming together and reuniting with friends and family.

“I used to play Holi back at home as well,” said sophomore Jaya Patel. “I really like this event. It definitely brings the whole community together.”

More than anything, the Holi celebration gave Indian students a connection to their culture even in central New York, said Sharvari Khairnar, an information studies graduate student.

“This is really awesome, especially the Hindi songs — they’re giving us deja vu of India,” she said. “We are missing home, and this is feeling like home again.”

Published on April 4, 2022 at 12:07 am