At a Holi festival in Brooklyn, tradition and contemporary celebration create a colorful union

• The Hindu festival Holi has become more popular and inclusive, especially in the Indian diaspora.
• Attendees at a celebration in Brooklyn, New York, described coming together for the holiday.
• This article is part of "Community in Focus," a series highlighting Asian and Pacific Islander events.

The Hindu festival of colors, observed as Holi in India and Fagu Purnima in Nepal, holds immense cultural significance for South Asians.

My earliest memories of celebrating Holi as a child in India are vividly filled with hues; Indian delicacies like gujiya, dahi bhalle chaat, and gulab jamun; and jubilant moments shared with loved ones. Rising early on the festival day, I'd perform the ritual of applying oil all over my body and scalp to ward off any lingering color stains after the festivities. Outside our homes, a lively scene unfolded as kids gathered with various colored powders called gulal, water guns, and water balloons.

My mother would make me and my elder brother wear the oldest pairs of pants she could find so that they could be discarded without objection. Both of us would fight to wear a white T-shirt, because wearing all-white clothes on Holi had been romanticized in Bollywood movies.

When I moved to the US two years ago, I was homesick, especially during festivals. I'm sure other immigrants can relate: Celebrating festivals in a foreign land hits differently and often takes you down memory lane.

The population of Asian Indians in the US has experienced remarkable growth, surging by over 50% between 2010 and 2020 to reach a substantial total of 4.4 million. With the growing population, the opportunities to get together as a community on special cultural occasions are increasing. But it wasn't always like this.

Uma Kapoor, 57, migrated to the US about 35 years ago after marrying her husband, who already worked in the country. Kapoor, who lived in Queens, New York, recalled that "these occasions would come and go" and she wouldn't feel any festive vibes. "There were not many or any events celebrating Holi at that time, despite a considerable number of Indians living in Jackson Heights," she said.

"Now, the celebrations begin two or even three weeks prior to the actual Holi. I see a lot of commercial events popping up in Jersey and New York City, and it has a lot to do with the increasing population of young Indians," said Kapoor, who works as a director in Morgan Stanley's IT department.

With the diaspora spreading far and wide, Holi has also evolved. In the heart of New York City, Manny Singh, an event manager, has been fostering a sense of community among people from different cultures, backgrounds, and ethnicities. In 2012, he started organizing an event called Holi in the City as a way for brown people to enjoy the celebration while they were away from India.

For the past three years, the event has been hosted at Brooklyn's Bk Backyard Bar in collaboration with the owner, Jarrod Fox.

Akash Sheth, 31, moved to New York City a little over a year ago with his wife to work at Google. Celebrating their first Holi in the US, they chose to attend Singh's event in Brooklyn. "There's a sense of nostalgia mingled with excitement," Sheth told me. "It's a way of reconnecting with my roots and sharing the joy of Holi with a diverse community."

Singh, who migrated to the US about four decades ago at the age of 10, said that for him, "it's about more than just colors." He said that over the years he'd seen Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Sri Lankans, African Americans, and Irish people attending his Holi event. "The segment that is interested in celebrating Holi are more people of non-South Asian background because they see it on Instagram and TikTok," Singh said. "The celebrations are now basically a melting pot of cultures."

Elise Young, a 38-year-old fitness professional who founded Elise's Bodyshop, and her wife, Carmen Perez, a financial-services professional turned tech entrepreneur, have been together for nine years and got married six years ago. This year they traveled from Connecticut to celebrate their first Holi together in New York.

"What's fascinating to me is that everyone from all different backgrounds is on the same page," Young, who's originally from Massachusetts, said. "They are here just for good vibes, celebration, uplifting and positive energy. It doesn't matter what your age, sex, gender is."

Holi celebrations have gained popularity outside India partly because Holi is perceived and celebrated as a fun carnival — unlike Diwali, which is celebrated as a religious event. "Holi is more of an activity than a festival, and that activity involves a lot of dance and music," Kapoor said. "People have also started enjoying Bollywood music because of the beats."

Vijay Satnarine, the director of education for the Hindu American Foundation, has an explanation for the festival's inclusivity. Holi marks the arrival of spring and the end of winter. It's celebrated on the full-moon day, Purnima, in the Hindu month of Phalguna, which usually falls in February or March.

"Onset of spring, the burning of the chaff, roasting the green chickpeas in the fire, the celebration of the bonfire because of the full moon and using the ashes of the bonfire just to throw around in celebration of the spring — that's the origin of the festival," said Satnarine, who has taught Hindu dharma traditions to university students in London, Wales, and the US.

There are also two prominent Hindu legends associated with the festival. One tells the story of Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, whose tyrant father, King Hiranyakashipu, wanted everyone to worship him. When Prahlad refused and continued to worship Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu's sister, Holika, attempted to burn Prahlad alive. Because Holika was immune to fire, Prahlad was placed on the lap of his aunt while she sat atop a blazing pyre. But Prahlad emerged unharmed while Holika perished, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.

The second legend revolves around the playful love story of Radha Rani and Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna, envious of Radha's fair complexion, teasingly colored her face, initiating the ritual of playing with gulal.

To keep alive the practice, rooted in ancient Hindu mythology, of celebrating Holi with colors, Singh makes color powders available for all the attendees at his events. He also provides live music.

As Holi transcends geographical boundaries, it serves as a celebration of a new season and a testament to the unity among diverse cultures and communities. From the bustling streets of India to the vibrant neighborhoods of the Big Apple, Holi's essence remains: a jubilant occasion that fosters camaraderie, joy, and the spirit of togetherness.