Celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colors

 

Holi Hai to all who celebrate Holi in our community!  

Holi is the Hindu festival of colors that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and, in 2025, Holi is on March 14. Holi recognizes the end of winter and beginning of spring, ushering in rebirth and new beginnings. The holiday falls on the March full moon, when a bonfire is lit as a form of prayer to cleanse away the bad and evil. The day following the full moon, the celebration of “the festival of colors” takes place, where people gather to throw colorful powder, called gulal, and water at loved ones.

The colors of Holi gulal have different meanings, for example, blue symbolizes Krishna, the Hindu god with blue skin and green symbolizes rebirth.  Here is a quick guide to the symbolism of different colors:

• Blue - Serenity and Courage
• Green - New Beginnings
• Red - Marriage, Love, and Passion, Fertility
• Yellow- Happiness and Joy
• Pink - Youth, Friendship, and Playfulness
• Orange - Courage and Sacrifice

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to stop by Global Engagement in Aloysius Varsi Hall this week to pick up Holi gulal to use in your Holi celebrations. 

Some ways you can celebrate Holi: 

• Listen to a Holi playlist on YouTube
• See what Holi can look like in India through a National Geographic video
• Attend Association of Indo-Americans Holi Fest in San Jose on March 15

 

Is there an international holiday you would like to see featured? Fill out our Google Form and let us know why it is important to you and how you celebrate it. We will consider including new international holiday suggestions in our plan for the next academic year.