Rejoice in the Colors of Holi!!

“Incredible India” is the phrase we often use while describing my motherland.

India is a land of varied festivals, which include food and culture. Holi is one of the traditional Hindu holidays celebrated all over India, usually in March (depending on the calendar). Holi, popularly known as “the festival of colors” or “the spring festival”, is the time of year when the farmers harvest their crops. The onset of this colorful celebration ushers in the start of the festive mood. Numerous legends and stories are associated with Holi, which make it more vivid and exuberant. The popular legend goes that Holi is celebrated in memory of the divine love of devotee Radha for Lord Krishna (the worshipped God).

The day of Holi is full of fun activities of togetherness among everyone. When I think of Holi, the first image which flashes in front of my eyes is the riot of color. As a child, my first chore on that day was to sprinkle colors on my grandparents’ feet and seek their blessings. Along with that came a special gift from my grandmother, usually some money tucked under her “saree” that she saved to gift me. My ears still ring with her pleasant words “Shubho Dol” (which in my language means “Happy Holi”).

Growing up in India, I used to look forward to this special day. In Kolkata, my childhood house was located in the busiest part of the city, where every morning I would wake up with the hustle and bustle of cars and buses. The day of Holi was waking up with the rhythm of drums along with a parade of people throwing colors in the air. My favorite part was playing with the colors. It was customary to sprinkle colors on each other- friends, family and even strangers in the streets. People wore white clothes so the colors would be vivid. We would spray colored water through water shooters or sprinklers and fill up balloons with colored water. It was perfectly okay to roam around in different neighborhoods and meet friends and family.

 After the daytime activity of playing with colors, I looked forward to the special treats prepared by my mom. I can still visualize her cooking, and the aroma of the spices would fill the air and increase our gastronomic desire. This authentic food was a must in every household. The evening was more of a family gathering, with some of our relatives visiting our house as we all gathered for a musical spring bonanza.

After moving to the United States, my first reaction was, “How am I supposed to celebrate Holi?” This feeling of not being able to participate in my culture made me more homesick. We missed the traditional way of celebrations. As necessity is the mother of invention, and years passed by, the Indian community found ways to celebrate their major festivals here.

Since weather is a big concern around March in the Northeastern United States, we have learned to adapt to the changes. The Indians based in the United States gather together in the county parks to celebrate the spirit of Holi with food and colors. The colors are now available to be used in powdered form, and we enjoy playing with them and embracing each other as we would back home. The vision of the various colors - red, yellow, green and pink - fills the atmosphere like a rainbow. It is one of those moments that brings out the child in everyone. The essence of the day is to feel at home even though we are thousands of miles away from our loved ones. This is what we call home away from home. In the process, we made new friends and met new families who are now my new extended family in this land.

Our kids who were raised in the United States also have fun celebrating Holi and learning about their culture. The spirit of friendliness and togetherness continues to be a big part of the holiday, and brings the community together. Our next generation have a colorful early Easter which makes it truly magical. My teenage son, who was raised here, interestingly looks forward to the idea of playing with colors with his teammates.

Fast forward twenty years….

Working in my township library in Robbinsville, I wanted to share my culture with patrons. My first thought was to initiate the idea of celebrating Holi in the library. 

Over the past few years, I was instrumental in planning and presenting a children’s program with a story time and craft activity. It is a great way to bring our community together, to learn and familiarize ourselves about different cultures. Sharing and being able to get people involved to know about my tradition brings a lot of joy. When the kids shouted out “Happy Holi,” I traveled back to my childhood days in a blink of an eye.

The parents were also excited to be a part of the library program. Though we are far away from our home, these special celebrations allow us to embrace home in a new way. During COVID when the branch was still closed to public, I did a virtual Holi program so the kids could still enjoy this colorful holiday. We hold on to our memories as a safeguard and move forward, as it is the past which is the foundation of our future.

Spring is just around the corner, and as I am looking up in the sky, I am visualizing the colors of celebration this year.

To quote the famous poet Rabindranath Tagore,

“Your colors may paint my soul, and my deeds they may adorn.”

Here are a few books at the Mercer County Library System to learn more about Holi!

• Holi by Rachel A. Koestler-Grack
• Crayola Holi Colors by Robin Nelson
• Holi Colors by Rina Singh
• Holi by Christine Webster

You can also log in to hoopla to explore more about this fascinating celebration.

- by Tanusree Ganguly, Robbinsville Branch