For a few hours, students had a chance to experience the colors and tastes of India on the Hammond campus..
The Indian Student Association hosted the university’s Holi festival on March 29, which brought together students of diverse backgrounds to participate in the traditions of throwing colored powders and enjoying cultural performances.
“Holi is a festival of colours, and we ensure to provide an inclusive, vibrant experience that eases homesickness and unites the student body,” said Vikram. We had a great turnout, with ongoing arrivals throughout the event, allowing everyone to enjoy at their own pace.” said Vikram [FULL NAME?], a graduate student in Computer Information Technology and the president of ISAP.
During the celebration, students gathered on the lawn behind SULB in Hammond to throw colorful powders at one another and experience traditional Indian cultural elements, such as dance, music and food.
For Indian students, the celebration was special.
“I hadn’t celebrated Holi in a while, and attending the event here made me feel closer to home,” said Debvarnini Mandal, a freshman majoring in Mechanical Engineering. . “It was a fantastic way to meet new people and learn more about my culture.”
Swarnima Khare, a Computer Science major in her first semester, felt the event was special.
” I felt a wave of nostalgia and a sense of being at home,” she said. “The colors, the dance and especially the food – like jalebis and samosas – brought back so many memories.
“I never thought I’d be playing Holi in another country, but it was a proud moment for me to be part of such a vibrant community here,” said Khare.
Hel Patel, a Mechatronics major in his freshman year, felt at home.
“Celebrating Holi here made me forget that I was away from India,” he said. “It felt just like being back home with my friends.
“The highlight for me was the dance we prepared and performed, along with the traditional food and colour throwing,” Patel said. “Despite the cold, playing with water balloons was a blast.”
Vineeth Rathan, a freshman majoring in Business Information Analytics, said the festival was a good opportunity to connect with other students.
“The event was a lot of fun and felt just like celebrating back in India,” he [?] said. “We had all the traditional activities, like throwing colours and enjoying Indian snacks, which made it feel like home.
“It’s great seeing not just Indians, but students from various cultures come together to celebrate Holi,” said Rathan.
