Colours, community and a celebration away from home

As spring begins to paint the city in brighter shades, university campuses too come alive with colours, laughter and music.

Holi, the festival that symbolises the victory of good over evil and the arrival of a new season, is not just a cultural celebration, it becomes an emotional moment for students living away from home.

For many hostel residents, festivals can bring a quiet sense of longing. With families miles away, returning home is not always possible before the official break.

Recognising this, institutions such as the University of Delhi (DU)and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) ensure that their campuses transform into vibrant spaces where students can celebrate together.

This year, a special Holi Fest was organised at the DU ahead of the holiday break. The event brought together students from various colleges and departments, giving them an opportunity to celebrate before leaving for their hometowns. The campus grounds echoed with music and dhol beats as students smeared colours on each other, danced freely and captured moments that would soon become cherished memories.

“It’s my first Holi away from home, and I was honestly feeling a little homesick,” said Riya Sharma, a first year undergraduate student at the DU. “But celebrating with my friends here made me realise that festivals are about people. For a few hours, it felt just like home.”

At the JNU, hostel courtyards turned into mini celebration zones. Students gathered in groups, applied gulal, shared sweets and enjoyed homemade festive dishes prepared collectively. Seniors and juniors celebrated side by side, blurring boundaries and strengthening bonds that often define campus life.

“Holi on campus is different, but in a beautiful way,” said Arjun Mehta, a postgraduate student at the JNU. “We come from different states and cultures, yet when we play with colours, those differences disappear. It reminds us that we are one community.”

Holi celebrations in universities are carefully organised to ensure safety and inclusivity. The authorities typically encourage the use of eco-friendly colours and maintain security arrangements to avoid any inconvenience. These measures help create an atmosphere where joy remains at the centre of the celebration.

Beyond the colours and music, Holi on campus carries a deeper meaning. It offers students a break from academic pressure and an opportunity to build friendships across cultures and regions. Campuses in India are known for their diversity, and festivals like Holi reflect that spirit of unity, where students from different states, languages and backgrounds come together as one community.

For first year students especially, celebrating Holi in a new environment can feel overwhelming at first. But as colours mix and laughter spreads, the unfamiliar quickly turns into comfort. What begins as a festival ends as a reminder that campus itself becomes a second home.