Holi festival a world of color in timely triumph

BY BRIANA KEENAN OF PASCACK PRESS

Pascackvalley

IMMERSINGONESELF in spring calls for new beginnings, hope, and vibrancy. For some, “throwing colors” — a rainbowʼs worth of powdered chalk and colored water — in the traditional celebration of Holi brings joy and a fresh start as the seasons change.

On Sunday, March 12, the Woodcliff Lake Indian Desi Group hosted a Holi celebration aimed at “making our children aware of the culture of India.” Organizers said, “This is not organized by borough of Woodcliff Lake or any religious group. All the participants will come in colored outfits and enjoy all types of colors and music.”

Authoritative sources explain the holiday originated and is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent but has spread to other regions of Asia and parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

In “Celebrating Life Customs Around the World” (2016), Victoria Williams says that “Throughout the day people visit family, and friends and foes come together to chat, enjoy food and drink, and partake in Holi delicacies.”

This was the second year that the Woodcliff Lake committee held the festival. The first was in 2021 at Wood Dale County Park, at Hillsdale, Park Ridge, and Woodcliff Lake. The holiday was March 8.

The group got its start on WhatsApp. Members include Kanika Chopra, Shweta Pathak, Preeti Bansal, Kalindi Bakshi, Leena Bakshi, and Suzanne Mohan.

“Itʼs teamwork. It canʼt be handled by one person; itʼs a community,” Bansal told Pascack Press in the lead-up to the festival.

Similarly, members said they want to bring community and awareness to those who are not Indian so they can learn about the culture.

Chopra told us, “I think there is an opportunity for us to become one voice versus having our own [separate voices].”

And Mohan said, “I think we have done such a great job as a community trying to reach out in our community for our people to know that weʼve gotten the attention from people like even our leaders in the town.”

Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo attended the festival — held this year at The Gathering Social Club, opened this January at 209 Rivervale Road in River Vale — and spoke about the community relative to the borough.

“Itʼs a great festival … leaving the bad behind and bringing the good in,” he said. “Our Indian community is growing in Woodcliff Lake. By learning about other peopleʼs customs, it allows us to become more united.”

Brij Chopra, owner of The Gathering, offered his space after organizers were unable to have it in Woodcliff Lake.

“It was very kind of Mr. Chopra to offer his place,” Bansal said. “Itʼs cold outside, so definitely many people do have a backyard that we can. With the community hall that we have, we were not sure if we would get it because they had meetings lined up.”

The members agreed that a goal is to have the celebration at the community center. “There are restrictions that have to be considered, because our festivals are not just only about food or clothing or music; thereʼs a lot of activities…so for Holi, for example, itʼs all about colors,” Chopra said, “We have to be mindful of that.”

In 2021 when the group had its first Holi celebration, Mohan explained that participants “just knew we wanted to get together and throw colors.”

“Kalindi stepped up and was like ʻI got colors; I got you covered,ʼ” she said, “[We told others], if you need to wear masks, come masked up.”

This year, with the pandemic less of a felt presence, the group went bigger.

“We thought of doing it in a more structured way because things opened up, people opened up,” Bansal said.

This yearʼs event started out with socialization and traditional dancing. Afterward, guests enjoyed traditional Indian food, which Mohan said was “a big driving factor” in planning this yearʼs celebration.

“We have different kinds of stories, different kinds of celebrations, and different kinds of food, so we celebrate the same occasion but differently,” Bansal said.

After those that attended ate and danced, they participated in Holi: the traditional throwing of colored chalk to welcome spring.

Each color represents some- thing different to welcome in: blue for the Hindu god Krishna; red for fertility and love; green for new beginnings; yellow for turmeric, a natural remedy; purple for mystery and magic; and pink for playfulness, youth, and good health.

“Thereʼs a significance of color…when you think about color, it brightens, it rings love, thereʼs fun, thereʼs laughter, so thereʼs a certain significance that comes with it,” Chopra said.

When asked about their favorite part of the celebration, members mentioned the bright colors and time with friends.

Chopra said, “For me, itʼs about being a kid again. Weʼre all faced in day-to-day life struggles of work, life, kids; this is the one time that we give everybody to loosen up and forget theyʼre adults.”