by Elizabeth Connolly
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The United Church in downtown Walpole was packed on a recent Saturday, as hundreds gathered to celebrate the town's first annual Holi event. The church was prepared with bright signs that led visitors downstairs to register before proceeding upstairs to a large gathering space, where chairs waited to be claimed. Along the way, several photo opportunities were available in the form of large banners that you could stand in front of for the perfect picture. The optional dress code was white, and while some did wear it, many others chose to wear colorful saris, shirts, and skirts, which contributed beautifully to the festive atmosphere.
The event began shortly after 11 a.m. with a welcome and from the organizers, Shweta Singh and Shalini Satish. They then introduced several of the event’s sponsors: Shantae Homes and Kristen Kohlmeyer, co-founders of Be Inclusive, Inc., as well as Clodagh Drummey, Chair of the Walpole Cultural Council. After a few words from the sponsors and a brief discussion about Holi by Singh and Satish, the cultural performances began. These were a big hit with the crowd, who were singing, dancing, and clapping along enthusiastically.
The Hindu festival of Holi is celebrated by millions around the world and is recognized as a national holiday in India. Also known as the Festival of Colors, Holi celebrates spring, love, and the success of good over evil. Depending on local traditions, the observances can be a two-day affair, with the first day consisting of a ritualistic bonfire that symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The second day is for color play (wearing white and throwing colored water called pani and/or colored powder called gulal at one another), companionship, and enjoying delicious foods.
When asked how long they’ve been planning the event, Satish replied: "planning the Holi event has been in the works for a couple of months now. This has been a team effort. We met weekly with the founders of Be Inclusive and the team of passionate and dedicated volunteers to organize all aspects of the event. We wanted to ensure we had everything planned and organized to celebrate the Festival of Colors”.
The three hour event took a large group of enthusiastic volunteers to pull off, and Singh and Satish would like to express their gratitude to those that made it possible: Shantae Holmes, Kristen Kohlmeyer, Mia Coleman, Shannon McCarthy, Neha Lohra, Minall Lele, Erin Monnell, Travis Monnell, Silpa Pande, Meghani Firke, Vidarshana Siddharthan, Aruna Kotha, Paul Donlan, Taylor Carter, Meredith Feener, Jonah Van der Linden, the Walpole Cultural Council, Udipti Tandan, Rishabh Tole, DJ Surya, the talented performers, and the wonderful vendors.
