UNC’s Holi Moli event draws record crowd of more than 2,500

It wasn’t just spring flowers blooming with color in Chapel Hill on Friday.

At 5 p.m. sharp, Polk Place erupted in cheers as clouds of multi-colored paint powder filled the air in celebration of Holi Moli, UNC’s take on the Hindu festival of Holi.

Welcoming the arrival of spring, the festival is celebrated by the energetic throwing of colored powder and water.

Under a layer of color, it became difficult to distinguish friends from complete strangers. But that’s the point.

Temporarily breaking down social stratification is an important theme of the holiday, said Campus Y Co-President Jagir Patel, who directed the 11-person team that organized the event.

At UNC, this event has turned into an opportunity to promote diversity, he said.

“It sounds cliche, but the colors of Holi really bring out the colors of every student at Carolina,” said Binita Raval, president of Sangam, a South Asian awareness student organization.

The event started in 2009 with around 100 people, she said.
This year, more than 2,500 participated, from freshmen to professors, Patel said.

Raval said the event has been such a success that students from other schools across the country have asked her how to run their own version.

“It’s a festival of color, what’s not to love?” said senior Amy Anderson, who was covered in purple.

“It’s one of those occasions where everyone’s happy. It’s like a snow day.”

Alongside Campus Y and Sangam, Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Outreach, a student government committee, and Hindu YUVA were involved in organizing this year’s Holi Moli.

The event costs about $6,000, and is funded by a range of student organizations including Student Congress, the Campus Y and CUAB, as well as Craige and Cobb community governments, Patel said.

With students paying $3 or $4 to take part, Holi Moli served as more than just a celebration of diversity.

Last year, the event raised about $2,000 each for the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation and the Bhutanese Empowerment Fund, and this year Patel said he hopes to raise even more.

After 30 minutes, in which chants of “Tar Heels!” and the UNC fight song rose up through the colorful smoke, a rainbow of people headed off across campus to a much-needed shower.

Junior Joseph Alter said the event is good for diversity because everyone leaves multicolored.

“It’s very chaotic, very messy and a great bonding experience.”

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