Students celebrate the festival of colors, Holi
April 5, 2016
Coppell High School seniors Sriram Palepu and Grace Lu trade Holi powders on Sunday at the at the DFW Hindu Temple. According to ReligionFacts, “In Hinduism, Holi (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking.”
Holi celebrators dance to “Balam Pichkari”, a famous Bollywood song from the movie Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. In the movie the song is played during a Holi celebration and was repeated several times during the the festival at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday.
Coppell High School senior Chisom Ukoha blows the Holi powder over a crowd at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to The Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India, “Holi is also called the Spring Festival – as it marks the arrival of spring the season of hope and joy. The gloom of the winter goes as Holi promises of bright summer days.”
Holi celebrators dance at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to ReligionFacts, “Holi also commemorates various events in Hindu mythology, but for most Hindus it provides a temporary opportunity for Hindus to disregard social norms, indulge in merrymaking and generally ‘let loose.’”
![Coppell High School senior Asu Dhakal throws the his first magenta Holi powder of the day on Sunday at the at the DFW Hindu Temple. “[My first Holi experience] has been so much fun, it’s so crazy and completely unlike anything else,” Dhakal said.](https://coppellstudentmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/A-475x317.jpg)
Coppell High School senior Asu Dhakal throws the his first magenta Holi powder of the day on Sunday at the at the DFW Hindu Temple. “[My first Holi experience] has been so much fun, it’s so crazy and completely unlike anything else,” Dhakal said.![Coppell High School senior Chisom Ukoha carries senior Asu Dhakal in the middle a dance session at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “I’m not Indian but to me, [Holi] means that every color has their own character. Blue could mean a color of sadness or red could mean anger,” Dhakal said. “Everyone’s mixed with all of the colors and it shows every person’s character, even things that they don’t show. It shows everyone’s true form, because we’re all the same and all colored up so it’s just really fun.”](https://coppellstudentmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/A2-475x317.jpg)
Coppell High School senior Chisom Ukoha carries senior Asu Dhakal in the middle a dance session at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “I’m not Indian but to me, [Holi] means that every color has their own character. Blue could mean a color of sadness or red could mean anger,” Dhakal said. “Everyone’s mixed with all of the colors and it shows every person’s character, even things that they don’t show. It shows everyone’s true form, because we’re all the same and all colored up so it’s just really fun.”
Coppell High School senior Vinayak Sahal shares his Holi powders with other CHS students in attendance of the festival at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to ReligionFacts, “The central ritual of Holi is the throwing and applying of colored water and powders on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name ‘Festival of Colors’. This ritual is said to be based on the above story of Krishna and Radha as well as on Krishna’s playful splashing of the maids with water, but most of all it celebrates the coming of spring with all its beautiful colors and vibrant life.”
![Coppell High School seniors Pranathi Chitta, Grace Lu, Veena Suthendran and Sneha Karkala celebrate Holi at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “[Holi] means the festival of colors; it’s to celebrate my heritage,” Suthendran said. “I used to come all the time when I was a little kid like two or four and I was really scared but everybody plays with you and it’s a very welcoming environment.”](https://coppellstudentmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/E-475x317.jpg)
Coppell High School seniors Pranathi Chitta, Grace Lu, Veena Suthendran and Sneha Karkala celebrate Holi at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “[Holi] means the festival of colors; it’s to celebrate my heritage,” Suthendran said. “I used to come all the time when I was a little kid like two or four and I was really scared but everybody plays with you and it’s a very welcoming environment.”
Holi celebrators share Holi powder at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to ReligionFacts, “The central ritual of Holi is the throwing and applying of colored water and powders on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name ‘Festival of Colors’. This ritual is said to be based on the above story of Krishna and Radha as well as on Krishna’s playful splashing of the maids with water, but most of all it celebrates the coming of spring with all its beautiful colors and vibrant life.”
Coppell High School senior Venki Padala throws authentic Holi powder that was shipped from India at senior Pranathi Chitta at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. The Holi powder was on sale for two dollars at the festival inside the Hindu Cultural Hall.
Holi attendees dance to traditional music at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to Houston Holi 2016, “The sound of music and drums resonates through the air and everyone dances in celebration throwing color on their beloved, just as Lord Krishna did with his lover Radha.”
Holi attendees dance to traditional music at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to Houston Holi 2016, “The sound of music and drums resonates through the air and everyone dances in celebration throwing color on their beloved, just as Lord Krishna did with his lover Radha.”
Holi attendees dance to traditional music at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to The Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India, “on this day people do not differentiate between the rich and poor and everybody celebrate the festival together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood. In the evening people visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts, sweets and greetings. This helps in revitalizing relationships and strengthening emotional bonds between people.”
Holi attendees dance to traditional music at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to The Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India, “on this day people do not differentiate between the rich and poor and everybody celebrate the festival together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood. In the evening people visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts, sweets and greetings. This helps in revitalizing relationships and strengthening emotional bonds between people.”
Coppell High School senior Aditi Mukund dances to pop-Indian music during Holi at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “It’s an awesome festival that can give me a chance to express myself and my heritage and feel connected to other people in my community and religious community,” Mukund said. “It’s a really fun day filled with colors and the beginning of spring.”
Holi attendees dance to traditional music at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to The Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India, “on this day people do not differentiate between the rich and poor and everybody celebrate the festival together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood. In the evening people visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts, sweets and greetings. This helps in revitalizing relationships and strengthening emotional bonds between people.”
![Coppell High School senior Asu Dhakal throws the his magenta Holi powder during Holi on Sunday at the at the DFW Hindu Temple. “[My first Holi experience] has been so much fun, it’s so crazy and completely unlike anything else,” Dhakal said.](https://coppellstudentmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Y-475x317.jpg)
Coppell High School senior Asu Dhakal throws the his magenta Holi powder during Holi on Sunday at the at the DFW Hindu Temple. “[My first Holi experience] has been so much fun, it’s so crazy and completely unlike anything else,” Dhakal said.
Holi attendee crowd surfs at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. According to India Celebrating, “Traditionally, Holi is celebrated to get success over the evil power or badness of goodness. It is named as ‘Phagwah’, as it is celebrated in the Hindi month, Phalgun.”
Coppell High School senior Vinay Kalvacherla shields himself from Holi powder by senior Aditi Mukund during Holi at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “It’s an awesome festival that can give me a chance to express myself and my heritage and feel connected to other people in my community and religious community,” Mukund said. “It’s a really fun day filled with colors and the beginning of spring.”
Coppell High School senior Chisom Ukoha throws Holi powder at senior Aditi Mukund during Holi at the DFW Hindu Temple on Sunday. “Every year I’ve gone to Holi at this temple, except for the last two years and the first time I came I was like five or six,” Mukund said. “I was really shocked at all the colors and a little scared. I saw everyone having a really great time and I just learned to enjoy it and have not missed a Holi since.”