The Penn Hindu and Jain Association hosted its annual Holi festival at College Green on Friday.
The March 27 event was organized in collaboration with Penn’s Spiritual and Religious Life Center to celebrate the Hindu festival, and was open to all students. Holi featured live performances from several Penn dance teams, included a DJ, and involved students throwing colored powder to celebrate the arrival of spring.
In an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian, College sophomore and HJA Vice President Nikhil Pochana expressed the importance of “celebrating things that you did growing up with people who you met at Penn.”
“One of the biggest things about Penn is its diversity, and this gives one of the perfect opportunities for us to showcase our cultural culture with people who are not necessarily from that background,” he said.
The over two-hour event began with free t-shirt distributions to Penn undergraduates, followed by an introduction to the event by HJA. Five dance groups — Penn Raas, PENNaach, Penn Dhamaka, Penn Masti, and Hype Dance Crew — performed before bags of colored powder were distributed to attendees.
Pochana noted that the use of the colorful powder is meant to give “homage to the springtime” because the festival is celebrated during Spring Equinox. He also explained that Holi — which is traditionally celebrated among friends and family — is “celebrated by people of different faiths” and is “more of a cultural thing rather than religious.”
SPARC Director Stephen Kocher described Holi as “something that can raise the visibility of our Hindu and Jain populations on campus,” adding that “it’s such a welcoming activity.”
Wharton senior Mansi Patel, the former president of HJA and current senior advisor, framed Holi “as both celebratory but also educational.” She added that HJA hopes to “honor the cultural context, rather than just reducing it to a party.”
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“The cultural significance is rooted in themes of not just connection, but also renewal, joy, and ultimately the triumph of good over evil,” Patel added.
Kocher, who has worked at the Office of the Chaplain at Penn since 2008, noted that HJA has planned “some of the biggest and I think best attended events that happen on campus”.
“It’s been really fun to watch this grow … from a small community gathering to this big celebration,” Kocher added.
He emphasized the importance of HJA’s partnerships with student government, along with funding from Programs for Religious, Interfaith, and Spiritual Matters.
Patel, who was involved in planning HJA’s 2025 Holi celebration, explained that “safety was key” when coordinating the event.
Safety measures included purchasing non-toxic powders and with working with campus administration and organizations — such as Penn’s Medical Emergency Response Team and the Division of Public Safety.
According to Patel, these collaborations helped “to make sure the event was sustainable and repeatable year after year.”
“It makes me happy that I'm able to see campus in a way that feels both fun and intentional, because Holi is more than just throwing colors,” she added. “It’s about creating a moment where people can step out of their routines and connect with each other.”
HJA has several other activities throughout the year to promote Hindu and Jain culture, including regular weekly programming and other large events in the Fall, including festivities for Garba and Diwali.
