Colorful Hindu festival, Holi, debuts in Chattanooga
Holi, a Hindu spring festival celebrated predominantly in India and Nepal and also in parts of the Western world, will debut in Chattanooga on Saturday, May 4, at the Sculpture Fields. Known as the “festival of colors” and the “festival of love,” Holi is designed to engage the senses through festive touch, sights, sounds and smells.
Chattanooga is home to a vibrant Desi cultural community — families descended from peoples of the hot and colorful southern areas of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to Sush Shantha and Sujata Singh. Their organization, Desi Chattanooga, is bringing the cultural celebration to the Scenic City.
The festival is highlighted by a color exchange. Participants are encouraged to arrive wearing white sundresses or T-shirts. They’ll leave in a blaze of color.
“Families will share a wonderful day of games, vegetarian Indian cuisine and cultural activities, as well as the great fun of the color exchange,” Shantha and Singh said in a news release.
Guests may purchase pouches of vibrant color to share by tossing the colors on family members and friends. Once the colors are flying back and forth, water can be splashed on so the colors run together on faces, arms and shirts.
Shantha and Singh “strongly suggest” bringing a change of dry clothes for the drive home.
Other activities during the day include musician Sagaar performing on a large tasseled drum and traditional fashions of India modeled by area families walking to music by DJ Eric of Warsaw International. Children’s activities will include Go Fish, relay races and Balloons by Mike. Vendors will provide Indian street food and adult beverages.
Gates open at 11 a.m. Festival admission is $5 per person (free to children 12 and younger). Additional purchase is required for food and some activities. Admission tickets may be purchased at www.tugoz. com/events/vloveevents/ holi.