Last month, the Junior Grade Leaders collaborated with the Hindu Student Association (HSA) and Dhamaka, the THHS Bollywood Dance team, to host the third annual Holi Celebration. Students participated in color throwing, ate cultural food, and watched dance performances.
Holi is a Hindu holiday that embraces new beginnings, and marks the beginning of spring. At the start of the event, Dhamaka performed semi classical dances. President of Dhamaka Shondhita Shaha said that dance is ”a really big cultural aspect of Indian culture…the rhythms of the Bollywood songs and the energetic music, it’s what brings people together. And Holi is a festival of good over evil.”
A classic tradition of the Holi festival is the throwing of gulal, the vibrant powder thrown to celebrate and symbolize the coming of spring. Participants said that the activities at the event helped to share South Asian culture and foster a sense of community within THHS. Sophomore Ambika Das, who attended the event for the first time, said, “I have celebrated Holi many times, but it was with my family, knowing I would be celebrating with my friends made it more fun and exciting.” She noted that along with students, many staff members also supported the event.
The Holi event was originally planned for March 5, but was postponed due to rainy weather. However, this delay benefitted organizers by allowing more time for preparation. When it came to prepping for the Dhamaka performances, Shondhita said, “we had more practices which helped us become more prepared and more confident in ourselves.”
The later date of the event also allowed clubs to continue promoting the event to increase turnout. Senior Michelle Moses, the president of HSA, said, “Preparation for this event involved a moderate amount of coordination. Our main focus was promoting the event through social media so that students were aware and able to attend.”
Junior Class President Jordana Lo said that much of the planning and the event itself was done based on the previous festivals, which allowed organizers to refine certain aspects. With that in mind, there was stress on increased communication: “We emphasized communication with volunteers and advisors to ensure the event ran smoothly.”
Jordana said, “I personally believe that what makes our school community so special is our ability to celebrate cultural events as a student body and appreciate various traditions outside of our own.”
HSA club member Junior Priyanka Sarker shared a similar sentiment. She said, “Not only do events like these strengthen inclusion and representation for Hindus, but it also builds community especially in a school like THHS where there is such a diverse student body.”
Latin teacher and advisor of HSA Timothy Hanford said, “I think the event should be continued, absolutely. It brings a joyous atmosphere to the courtyard and celebrates South Asian culture in a colorful way.”
