A Riot of Colors: SISA’s Holi 2023 

Illustration by: Melissa Richardson/ @melmadeart

After the massive hit that was Diwali, SCAD Indian Students’ Association (SISA) returned this term with Holi, — the Festival of Colors —a popular Hindu festival that celebrates the beginning of Spring, and the eternal love between the deities, Radha and Krishna. We, at RenderQ, sat down with Prajay Suresh, current President of SISA, to get a general overview of the event before segueing into the logistics, and finally, a sneak-peak into the club’s future activities. 

Contrary to Diwali — the Festival of Lights — which is a relatively formal celebration, Prajay described Holi as more of an “open-ended party,” where the sole objective is to let loose and have fun. Diwali was an opportunity to educate about, and highlight the essence of, Indian culture through food, performances, arts & crafts opportunities such as block-printing and henna. Holi, on the other hand, was an open invitation to make merry, unwind, and re-energize. 

Image: Lucas Kermit// @kermitfilms

During Holi in India, entire streets run wild with large crowds engulfed by clouds of colored powder or gulal, accompanied by water-guns for added mischief, and of course, music and dance. Recreating this spectacle at SCAD — although on a much smaller scale — consisted of careful planning. Proposals were sent out at least a month prior to the event, so that the location, and any necessary resources/equipment could be secured without difficulty. Arguably, even more than the dye and water-guns, the key to planning the perfect, most enjoyable Holi is to have a bangers-only playlist —  which SISA managed with the least of efforts. (And of course we have a Spotify playlist of the best Holi Bops at the end of this article😉)

Holi 2023 had a satisfactory turnout, with a good mix of both Indian and non-Indian students. The plein air location of Boundary Village allowed for a vast space for people to run around and play with colors freely. In order to make sure that the dye lasted, cups of coloured powder were provided at intervals of fifteen minutes so that the celebration could run a riot uninterrupted for at least two hours. With a pleased crowd and a quick, efficient cleanup, Holi 2023 succeeded with flying colors (pun very much intended.)

Image: Lucas Kermit// @kermitfilms

In terms of the future, club positions (including President) are up for grabs as SISA will be holding elections for the 2023-24 academic year. Anyone and everyone is welcome to apply; you do not have to be Indian to join the party!! Last but not least, Prajay expressed that SISA prefers organizing fewer, large-scale events that are both impressive and memorable, rather than a string of smaller, run-of-the-mill activities; so look forward to next year’s Diwali and Holi and don’t miss out!!

Follow @sisa.sav on Instagram for more club information/updates. 

Holi Playlist on Spotify!!! 👉 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWVoTxNXfb9hu?si=MTXhIhD_Q5yWREYy7FN0lA