Mists of colorful blue, yellow and purple chalk blanketed the Library Quad of Eastern’s campus on Friday for Holi.
Holi is a Hindu religious holiday. Commonly called “the festival of colors” it is celebrated primarily in India, Nepal, and other areas with a large Hindu population.
Students and community members ran throughout the quad covered from head-to-toe in an array of chalk.
Students were found spraying each other with water and colors and mingling with people they might not talk to on campus.
Clarissa Mouley, a Mattoon resident, said she came to Holi out of curiosity.
“It’s good to share cultures, because the international students are away from home,” Mouley said. “It’s good for the locals to learn too, to bring a little bit more acceptance.”
Mouley said her son is Egyptian and she brought him out to get him to understand different concepts. She said he needed to be around a variety of people.
Praveen Kumar, a graduate student, is from India and came here this spring.
He said Holi is a great way to end the semester even though it differs back in India.
“In my country every year we celebrate Holi for happiness and for joy,” Kumar said. “This is the first time I am experiencing this at EIU. We usually celebrate the whole day, but that’s okay.”
Kumar said Holi can increase friendship and unity on campus because of the interaction amongst cultures.
Tionna Alderson, a senior communication disorder science major, said Holi was a good way to get everyone together before finals.
“It’s just a way to see some things most of us wouldn’t see on a daily basis,” Alderson said. “I think it’s a unifying event because you get to see everyone on campus at the same place doing the same thing.”
Holi was planned to be two hours, but it ended an hour early. The staff continued to play music and students still danced on the quad.
Evan Lohmann, the Study Abroad coordinator, said Holi ended early because more people came out than expected. Lohmann said the powder went fast so next year they plan to bring more product.
He also said they tried to incorporate Indian tradition.
“We tried to bring in music, do Henna, and bring a lot of colors,” Lohmann said. “Holi introduces a lot of our Eastern students to different cultures so they have an interest in going to these places, and it also gives an American perspective of Holi.”
Rajasri Pingili, a graduate student, said the party did not end with a lack of chalk the last time Holi was on campus.
“They finished the colors early last year but then everyone started playing in mud,” Pingli said. “You didn’t have an option, two guys would come up to you and throw you in the mud.”
Vijay Gatpa, a graduate student, said he could not play as hard as he usually does in India with the American students because it gets too rough.
“If we did half of the things we do back home they would be scared because you’re throwing each other in the mud and even cracking eggs on each other’s head,” Gatpa said. “But everyone can experience each other’s cultures here at EIU and everyone can enjoy this.”
Nicola Colucy, a sophomore sport management major, said multiple cultures come together at Holi and people see no ethnic boundary.
“It’s like a color run without running, we just hang out and throw color at each other,” Colucy said. “No one really cares what color you are because you’re going to be multiple colors at the end, and we’re all human.”
Colucy said the celebration brings a taste of different cultures to campus and festivities like Holi are great ways to get a taste of countries without going actually leaving America. She said it is an honor to have different cultures on campus.
Salonje Dorsey, a junior family consumer science major, said Eastern should do something similar to Holi to set a tone for the academic year.
“Being at Eastern, which is a small predominately white school, minorities sometimes feel left out, or not valued as much,” Dorsey said, “So when you have events focused on minorities, it helps us to feel welcomed and wanted.”