On March 9, the Hindu Students of JPS (HSJPS) club celebrated Holi, the Hindu festival of colors. About 35 people participated in the Holi celebration, as well as several teachers and administrators. As they all were entertained by vibrant and thrilling song and dance performances, they also had delicious Indian delicacies from Chand Palace, such as samosas, spring rolls, and mango lassi.

In India, Holi is celebrated as it marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, which is the time for people to come together, enjoy their friendships, and make new ones. Also signifying good winning over evil, Holi celebrates triumph, emotions, and meaningful relationships.

This celebration commemorated bringing forth color and brightness into the lives of members of the JP community. There was an abundant number of Holi-colored powders, also known as “gulal” in Hindi: purple, pink, red, yellow, and blue. People put these colors on each other to symbolize adding color into everyone’s lives and experiences.

“Holi was always a bright festival of color that I celebrated with my family, but never my friends from school or my teachers,” said senior Arya Shahane. “My Holi experience was so much fun, and being able to use colors at school to practice my culture with my school friends and teachers was a really memorable experience.”

By celebrating this holiday at JP, teachers, administrators, and students had the ability to bring this joy into others’ lives. Celebrating Holi at JP Stevens also calls to show the significance of diversity and inclusivity present not only at JP, but also in the greater Edison community. By allowing students and staff from all cultural backgrounds to celebrate the festival of colors, the Holi event is a testament to the inclusivity present in JP with its openness to others joining in on festivities and having fun.

“The JP Holi event was a fun-filled way for me to not only take part in a cultural activity, but do it with friends I have known for a lifetime,” said freshman Pranav Bhalerao. “The Holi event allowed me to enjoy my Thursday with a diverse group of people, allowing us to connect in a colorful way.”

The 2023 Holi Festivity at JP was not only full of color and mind blowing performances, but also represented the celebration of emotions and diversity of the JP and Edison community. By bringing students and staff from across JP, it allowed everyone to immerse themselves in and appreciate Indian culture and tradition. Holi was a celebration of happiness and it brought just that into the members of the JP community, leaving a heartfelt memory in the lives of many.