Diversity and inclusion have been hot topics at UP, and questions have been raised about who should be leading the way when it comes to inclusion.
Campus Program Board hopes to improve cultural awareness through their event this afternoon from 3-7PM in the East Quad: Holi Hai. The event, celebrating a traditional Indian festival, aims to shed light on Indian culture and bring greater diversity to student life on The Bluff.
“CPB is always looking for opportunities to collaborate in new ways,” Sammy Van Den Berg, CPB Director said. “One of the many goals of the CPB Leadership Team is to increase cultural awareness and to celebrate diversity in ways that will be fun and engaging for students. CPB’s mission is to create memories on The Bluff.”
The idea for celebrating the Holi Hai Festival at UP was first presented by Prashant Kakad, who has hosted “Bollywood Nights” events at UP in the past. Kakad will be emceeing the entire event. He will present a brief history and background of the festival, with facts as well as personal experience. He will also be teaching traditional Bollywood dance. Authentic Indian appetizers and desserts will be provided from local Indian restaurants Chaat-N-Roll and Swagat, and CPB has worked with Bon Appetit to develop a small alcohol menu for the event that will feature dirty chais, mango margaritas and Kingfisher beer.
“The best part of the festival for me is that when we are using the elements of colors on others, it is inclusive without being preachy. It’s just fun, and it becomes a joy fest. We become more engaging with each other,” Kakad said.
Commonly referred to as the Festival of Colors, Holi celebrates the beginning of Spring and the sharing of love. It is a Hindu tradition celebrated mainly in India and Nepal, observed as a two-day festival. The night before Holi, people gather together and make bonfires, which symbolize good defeating evil. The morning after the bonfires is what most people are familiar with. During the Festival of Colors, people dance, eat and sing. They use each other as human canvases, throwing colors onto each other. At the end, everyone is covered head-to-toe in a mish-mash of colors.
Holi has become increasingly more popular and mainstream. It is now celebrated all over the world, including in the U.S. and Europe. Music festivals have been based off of the Holi Festival, as well as the 5K Color Run.
“The team we had in India played electronic dance music. Portions of India are becoming more westernized, so we are trying to keep the culture alive here in the U.S.,” Kakad said.
JD Nguyen is a reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached at nguyenje19@up.edu.
