"Rang Barse' at AUT Holi fest
December 2 2009
AUT in Auckland will be a sea of colour early next year as the university goes all out to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colours.
And for the first time at any New Zealand university campus, a “rain dance” will be held to mark the festival which celebrates the victory of good over evil.
“It won’t be a religious function, but more a totally fun thing,” Agastya Pesara, president of AUT’s Indian Students Association told Indian Weekender.
The “rain dance”, more like a “Rang Barse” event, will be held at AUT Quad on February 28, just a day before the institution opens up for first semester classes.
Agastya said he was grateful the AUT management had agreed to host such a diverse and colourful festival for the first time.
The “rain dance” will be held at the open air AUT Quad in Wellesley St, where participants will be allowed to splash or smear colour on each other amid a drizzle.
“If there is no rain on the day, we will make it rain in the form of artificial sprinklers to make it look like the real thing back in India,” Agastya said.
Lots of coloured powder is available to participants on the day and they all celebrate their happiness by smearing it on each others’ faces.
Agastya said apart from the festivities, Indian food stalls will be there and also day-long music with DJ Jimmy, well known among the Indian music circles, starting at 10am, and expected to end around 3pm.
“A lot of fun will be had and it is open to all, not just Indians,” Agastya said. “Hundreds of non-Indians will be there, too.”
Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as “Holika”. The festival finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini's Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India.
It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years.
The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi).
The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahalad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in Andhra Pradesh.
Numerous Hindu groups in New Zealand will be celebrating the festival.
AUT in Auckland will be a sea of colour early next year as the university goes all out to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colours.
And for the first time at any New Zealand university campus, a “rain dance” will be held to mark the festival which celebrates the victory of good over evil.
AUT in Auckland will be a sea of colour early next year as the university goes all out to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colours.
And for the first time at any New Zealand university campus, a “rain dance” will be held to mark the festival which celebrates the victory of good over evil.
“It won’t be a religious function, but more a totally fun thing,” Agastya Pesara, president of AUT’s Indian Students Association told Indian Weekender.
The “rain dance”, more like a “Rang Barse” event, will be held at AUT Quad on February 28, just a day before the institution opens up for first semester classes.
Agastya said he was grateful the AUT management had agreed to host such a diverse and colourful festival for the first time.
The “rain dance” will be held at the open air AUT Quad in Wellesley St, where participants will be allowed to splash or smear colour on each other amid a drizzle.
“If there is no rain on the day, we will make it rain in the form of artificial sprinklers to make it look like the real thing back in India,” Agastya said.
Lots of coloured powder is available to participants on the day and they all celebrate their happiness by smearing it on each others’ faces.
Agastya said apart from the festivities, Indian food stalls will be there and also day-long music with DJ Jimmy, well known among the Indian music circles, starting at 10am, and expected to end around 3pm.
“A lot of fun will be had and it is open to all, not just Indians,” Agastya said. “Hundreds of non-Indians will be there, too.”
Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as “Holika”. The festival finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini's Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India.
It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years.
The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi).
The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahalad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in Andhra Pradesh.
Numerous Hindu groups in New Zealand will be celebrating the festival.
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