On Saturday 20 March, the Indian student community in Leuven celebrated the Holi festival at GROUP T. It was a colorful and engaging event with many eager participants. Curious that we are, we wanted to know more about this festival and its importance to the Hindus and the Sikhs.
The Indian student community in Leuven celebrating the Holi Festival at GROUP T.
Every year, Hindus and Sikhs in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and in countries with a large Indian population like Suriname, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, UK, USA, Mauritius and Fiji celebrate this festive event. Because Leuven, too, has a significant group of Indian students in its ranks, Holi is celebrated here with great exuberance as well. GROUP T, with its international student group, was the Indian student association’s ideal setting for celebrating.
The Holi festival has its roots in a tradition that dates back several centuries BCE. Its meaning, however, has changed throughout history. Originally, the festival was called Holika and was a ritual in which married women invoked good fortune for their family and in which the full moon Raka was honored. Now, the festival celebrates the arrival of spring and it also represents the start of the new year. Its exact date is determined using the lunar calendar and is set for the first day after the new moon in the month of March.
Victory of good over evil
Literally translated, ‘Holi’ means to burn. There are several legends explaining the meaning of this word, and the most prominent among them is that of the demon king Hiranyakashyap. He wanted everybody in his kingdom to worship him only. Consequently, he was very displeased to hear that his son Prahlad had become a devotee of the lord Narayana. Therefore, Hiranyakashyap ordered his sister Holika to carry Prahlad through a towering fire. She had the gift of being able to walk through a fire without being harmed by it. However, she did not know that this ability would only keep her safe if she stepped into the fire alone. As a result, she was devoured by the flames and Prahlad was saved by his devotion. That is how the Holi festival celebrates the victory of good over evil. Kindling bonfires are part of the traditions associated with this festival.
The custom to shower people with colored powder or water during the Holi festival is related to the legend of the lord Krishna who covered his beloved with colors.
In other words, the Holi festival combines a number of traditions which are observed with great enthusiasm. It is an occasion to let go, to go crazy with dance and music and especially to shower each other in colorful powders or with balloons filled with colored water. There is dancing, singing and good food. In the evening, the participants seize the opportunity to visit family, neighbors and friends. In some places, the festival lasts an entire week.
The Holi celebration at GROUP T, of course, practiced these traditions. The assembly hall was the stage for a colorful evening that was concluded with a festive dinner.
Jan Jaspers
