Around the globe, millions throw colored powder at each other in celebration of the Hindu festival, Holi. Although Holi is primarily celebrated in India, the Indian Club brought this vibrant tradition to West in an event that any student could attend.
On March 12, students celebrated Holi in the junior parking lot at the back of the school. As per the Hindu calendar, the festival of colors is celebrated on the day after a full moon in the Hindu month Phalguna, which corresponds to March 8. However, due to rainy weather, the club decided to celebrate on Sunday instead.
“Because our plan changed so much, we didn’t have as big of a turnout as we expected. I’m still glad that some people showed up. It feels great being able to share this holiday with other people,” junior Swati Kumar, secretary of the Indian Club, said.
Despite the last-minute changes, 16 students showed up to celebrate together. Among them was junior Chetan Uppara, a member of the Indian Club.
“[With Holi], it doesn’t matter who you are, what race you are [or] what you believe in. You are all getting covered in color just like everyone else around you, so you are all equal,” Uppara said.
The Hindu holiday marks the arrival of spring and celebrates the divine love of Hindu gods Radha and Krishna.
“Sure, Holi is mainly about celebrating the gods, but celebrating with my friends and showing my appreciation and love [for] them is one of the most important parts of Holi to me,” Kumar said. “This is the one time you can really let loose, and there are no rules or regulations limiting the fun you can have.”
Each of the colors used holds a special significance. Red symbolizes love and pink personifies youth and playfulness. Yellow is the color of turmeric, a common Indian remedial spice, so it symbolizes health. Finally, blue, the color of Lord Krishna’s skin, signifies divine power and blessings. Junior Puneeta Ganga, president of the Indian Club, brought the colors to share the history and intricacy of the holiday.
“I got encouraged to plan a Holi celebration because, until a couple of months ago, West High had no sight or thought of India on the school’s premises,” Ganga said. “I love how it brings together the whole community to celebrate and detach from our everyday lives to be one with bright flying colors. We are able to enjoy the moment of exhilaration but also of contentment and gratitude because we are able to come together and be part of this amazing celebration.”
![Latin students pose for a group photo in front of historical ruins in Italy. From March 13 to March 23, the Latin department traversed cities in Italy to immerse students in an educational experience of a lifetime. “I enjoyed being able to learn about the different cultures. [The trip] encouraged me to see other people's lifestyle and learn more about different histories,” senior Suraiya Saroar said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PXL_20240318_092633493.jpg)
![From Jan. 22 through Feb. 1, Parkway West High is displaying a wide array of art pieces made by students ranging from elementary to high school. All classes were represented on the displays in both the art wing and the main foyer of the school. “[Art] benefits me because in the middle of a busy day. I can just relax and have some fun doing art and it makes me happy. I think it's important that you show art in the art show so that people can get inspired by it and be inspired to create their own pieces; it’s really impactful,” sophomore Dhiya Prasanna said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image1-1200x800.jpg)
![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. [The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jess] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![Principal John McCabe announces that Jeffrey Chazen has won Teacher of the Year. Chazen was discussing freedom of speech with his AP Government class when the door opened and administrators rushed in. “[I was] extremely happy and humbled, but mostly shock[ed]. I've been here longer than any other teacher, so I know most of the people on the list of Teachers of the Year, and they are amazing teachers themselves,” Chazen said. “It's just nice to be on the list with them, including [social studies teacher Kristen] Collins, who is the only other social studies teacher who has won Teacher of the Year. It was nice to bring something back to the social studies department.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DSC_0021-1-2-1200x801.jpg)
![Striking a pose following their group dance, the 2024 Mr. Longhorn contestants welcome their audience to the show. Throughout the night, the nine competitors participated in an occupational section, skits for the talent portion and a fashion attire show before finalists were interviewed. “It's a fun time getting to hang out with my friends and doing [our] acts. I think I'm most excited for my performance with [seniors Bart Connors, Gavin Hamlin and Colin Hughes]. I like that I get to dance a little bit. I don't think I'm very good, but I'm gonna try my best to put on a show,” contestant and senior Henry Wild said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC_9759-1200x798.jpg)
![Kicking off dress rehearsal, Mr. Longhorn contestant and senior Carson Hughes goes over the group routine alongside other competitors. With just two days of practice, all participants learned the entirety of their introductory dance, chose an occupation to embody and crafted skits for the show. “The best part of this [whole thing] was learning the dance and just practicing with the guys. We [have to] try not to laugh the whole time, but we're having a lot of fun,” Hughes said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_5112-1-e1732164157549-1200x812.jpg)
![Blending together a concoction for a science experiment, science teacher Joel Anderson scares his students by bringing excitement and thrill into his classroom for his annual Halloween show. It took about six weeks for Anderson to set up his classroom for the show. “It’s pure terror. I came up with this idea a couple decades ago to do something fun for Halloween. So I pretend to be this mad scientist [that creates] a Frankenstein-like creature [with the class], learning a little bit of science along the way and [then ending] with a laser show. It’s just for fun; entertainment value,” Anderson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0021.JPG_-1200x800.jpg)
![Standing with girls cross country team mascot Pump the pumpkin, senior Sydney Etchason laughs with her teammates. Before the team’s senior night, Etchason undertook an odyssey to recover the pumpkin, which had been stolen by boys cross country. “We went through practice, and then a little birdie told me that it was in [senior] Emmett [Vernon's] car. I [offered Vernon] $50 to give us our pumpkin back, and we got Pump back,” Etchason said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0002-1-1200x800.jpg)
Priyankar Ghosh • Mar 16, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Excellent article!
Nature is full of colors, and each color has different shades, every variety inspires us to accept diversity, be open for a different (colored) view, and accept all. So true for life, so true for work, and so true for the society we impact. Have a colorful Holi, and a HOLIstic life!