People covered in colored powder celebrate Holi Hungama in Seoul in a previous year. Courtesy of Indians in Korea
Spring arrives this year in an explosion of colors with Holi Hungama, a major Hindu festival celebrated mainly in India and Nepal and by diaspora communities worldwide. Participants throw colored water and powder at each other in a celebration symbolizingthe victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring and the celebration of love, unity and renewal.
For anyone in Korea interested in taking part in this high-energy festival, the Indian community here is organizing its own Holi Hungama event.
Organizers highlighted that Holi celebrations in Korea began informally within the Indian community in the early 2000s. Over time, through the structured efforts of Indians in Korea (IIK), a registered nonprofit organization and community chamber established in 2002, the festival has evolved into a well-organized multicultural event in Seoul and other cities.
People throw colored powder into the air to celebrate Holi Hungama in Seoul in a previous year. Courtesy of Indians in Korea
IIK President Nagendra Kumar Kaushik, a professor at Kwangwoon University, told The Korea Times about the festival's origins.
“Holi has deep roots in Indian mythology,” he explained. “One of its most significant origins is linked to the legend of Prahlada, whose devotion to (the Hindu deity) Vishnu saved him from the evil intentions of his father, King Hiranyakashipu, and his aunt Holika. The burning of Holika, commemorated as Holika Dahan, symbolizes the triumph of faith and righteousness over arrogance and evil. It is also associated with (another Hindu god) Krishna, symbolizing divine love and the joyful celebration of colors.”
Traditionally in India, the festival begins with Holika Dahan, a ceremonial bonfire symbolizing the burning away of negativity. The following day, known as Rangwali Holi, people gather to play with colors, music and dance. Families and friends visit one another, exchange sweets and celebrate with traditional foods and cultural performances.
“It is truly a festival of emotional and cultural integration that emphasizes unity and social harmony, forgiveness and renewal of relationships, joy and collective celebration, equality beyond social divisions, as well as the triumph of good over evil,” Kaushik said.
Nagendra Kumar Kaushik, president of Indians in Korea (IIK), poses on the Seoul campus of Kwangwoon University, March 27. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
Source: Korea Times News
