Streaks of chalk burst through the air as students gathered to celebrate Holi at Troy University, leaving behind a colorful wake.
Holi, or the Festival of Colors, is a festival mainly celebrated in India and Nepal that celebrates the love between Krishna and Radha in Hindu belief.
“Holi festival is all about happiness,” said Bruce Roy, a doctoral student in American poetry from Kolkata, India. “It's about shedding the dark aspects of life and embracing the new.
“It's all about embracing universal brotherhood and sisterhood, bringing people close together, and working on the compassionate human part of the human being, so it's just really great.”
In the International Student Services celebration, students were encouraged to wear white to the event and were provided extra shirts for those who wanted to participate.
“We've done this before,” said Maria Frigge, the dean of International Student Services. “Our Indian Student Association did it before, and we just want to bring it back now since we have a lot of Nepali and Indian students on campus.”
At the event, students were provided with colored chalk and tossed it onto each other, covering others in a shower of bright colors.
Also at the event were refreshments, including Chana Jor Garam Chaat, an Indian street dish that was made with chickpeas and diced tomatoes, onions and other freshly chopped vegetables.
For Troy’s International students, festivals like these are important to the overall culture at Troy University.
“I believe that Troy is all about [being] multicultural,” Roy said. “Let’s celebrate each and every festival, no matter what the religion is.
“It's so different from the other universities. I believe it's a brilliant chance for all other students to know another, separate culture.”
“As an international student, it is very important because they [international students] feel more special, especially when they miss home because we miss home a lot, so internationals are hugging themselves, celebrating someone from their conference,” said Marai Farnnavaz, a freshman biology major from Brazil. “It’s really fun.”
International Student Services hopes to further collaborate with on-campus organizations like the University Activities Council (UAC) and Greek Life to make this celebration on Troy campus even bigger in the future.
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