BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Painting the sky with colors

By Anika Krishnan, age 8 | June 1, 2018

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CELEBRATING HOLI Anika Krishnan, a second grader at West University Elementary School, describes her favorite Indian festival, Holi.

Holi, the festival of colors, is my favorite Indian festival. This year it was on March 2, and I had so much fun celebrating it with my family and friends. We all went to “India House,” the venue where it was celebrated. There were heaps and heaps of gulaal, colored powder in various colors and also water guns with colored water and colored-water-filled balloons.

It is funny that we went there to play with colors, but once we were there, everyone was trying to escape from being colored. I had to chase down my brother to throw colored powder on him. And had to sneak up to put colors on my mom and dad. After a few minutes everyone’s face was colored and everyone looked the same. I had so much fun spraying colored water from water guns and bursting water balloons on people. There was also a music band playing some cool Indian songs and we danced to their tunes. At the end of each song, everyone would throw colored powder in the air, and it would look like the sky was painted with different colors. It was like an artist’s dream. And not to forget the yummy Indian snacks and sweets we got to eat.

My mom tells me that Holi symbolizes the end of winter and start of spring. It is a joyous way to welcome the new season. It is also said that Lord Krishna used to play with colors with his friends and that is the origin of Holi. In Hindu mythology there is a story that “Holika” was an evil person and was burnt by God, and Holi is celebrated to rejoice the victory of good over evil. Traditionally a bonfire is lit on the previous night to symbolize the destruction of evil.

I love how Holi shows the vibrant culture of India. I also like how it has inspired events like Color Dash, Color Run, bringing different cultures together. I just can’t wait for next year’s Holi, and I hope I can bring all my friends.

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