Colored chalk of blue, pink and green were thrown in the air as USF St. Petersburg students celebrated the Indian festival of love and the start of spring – Holi Hai.
Henna body artwork, Bollywood dancing and Indian food filled the University Student Center lawn on Sunday, April 18. The event was hosted by the student organization South Asian Association.
SAA founder and president Radhika Dang has coordinated the event for three years.
“This year’s planning has been a little bit easier. I’m trying my hardest to try to make SAA more independent since we’ve gained a good amount of recognition,” Dang said.
USFSP student Brielle Haynick joined SAA last year after seeing the club’s booth at the university’s beginning of the semester, Get On Board Day.
“They were one of the booths that really caught me eye; they seemed so welcoming,” Haynick said. “I like just being involved, and since we’re a small group we get to do what we want.”
SAA practiced their dance three times per week all semester. Although the music abruptly stopped during the middle of their performance, Haynick said she was still pleased with the result.
“I think it went well even with the difficulty in the middle of the song. We improvised really well and just finished it,” she said. “Everybody did really great.”
Freshman Victoria Hernandez never heard of the Holi Festival, but decided to attend the event anyway.
“I thought it was a lot of fun and a great way to express someone’s culture,” Hernandez said.
Dang grew up in New York City. Each year her temple would hold a Holi celebration filled with dances and lots of colors.
“To me, this festival holds a great place in my heart,” she said. “Ever since I moved to Florida, I haven’t gotten to experience that again, so it was a big deal for me to start something up on this campus – it allows me to share those same joys that I experienced as a little girl.”
