Holi bash beckons
January 10 2010
All is on track for a colourful bash at AUT in Auckland next month.
“Rang Barse” will celebrate the Hindu Holi festival in a big way at AUT Quad in Wellesley St, president of the AUT Indian Students Association Agastya Pesara told the Indian Weekender.
The function on February 28 will, for the first time, see at a New Zealand university campus, a “rain dance” 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 said.
And the confirmation of a major sponsor will mean that Indian food will be in abundance at the fest. Bikanerwala, the popular Indian food place in Mt Roskill, will be out in force to supply food for the day which starts at 10am.
“Rang Barse” will be held 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, day-long music with DJ Jimmy, well known among the Indian music circles will feature at the function, 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.
All is on track for a colourful bash at AUT in Auckland next month.
“Rang Barse” will celebrate the Hindu Holi festival in a big way at AUT Quad in Wellesley St, president of the AUT Indian Students Association Agastya Pesara told the Indian Weekender.
The function on February 28 will, for...
All is on track for a colourful bash at AUT in Auckland next month.
“Rang Barse” will celebrate the Hindu Holi festival in a big way at AUT Quad in Wellesley St, president of the AUT Indian Students Association Agastya Pesara told the Indian Weekender.
The function on February 28 will, for the first time, see at a New Zealand university campus, a “rain dance” 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 said.
And the confirmation of a major sponsor will mean that Indian food will be in abundance at the fest. Bikanerwala, the popular Indian food place in Mt Roskill, will be out in force to supply food for the day which starts at 10am.
“Rang Barse” will be held 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, day-long music with DJ Jimmy, well known among the Indian music circles will feature at the function, 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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