DU me a favour, let’s play Holi: Students celebrate in North Campus

Delhi University students from various colleges took to the streets of North Campus to play Holi, last weekend. While Hansraj College denied permission to the students to play on the college grounds, Ramjas College and Delhi School of Economics barred those who were visibly drenched in colours, from entering the college premises. But nothing could lower the enthusiasm of those who wanted to revel in the fever of Holi.

Last Saturday (March 4), when students of Delhi University’s Hansraj College reached their college, armed with colours and enthusiasm, to play Holi on the grounds of their college grounds, they had to meet with some disappointment. Not allowed to do so, in absence of prior permission from the college authorities, the students decided to keep the masti meter high and took to the streets of North Campus to play with colours and water, saying bura na mano Holi hai!

Ramjas College students who played Holi on campus, were not allowed to re-enter the college premises by the security guards. (Photos: Gokul VS/HT)

Smearing his friends with gulaal in the hues of pink, green, yellow, and orange was Manish Kumar, a second-year student of BCom (Hons) at Hansraj College. “College ke gate ke bahar toh nahi mana kar sakte na khelne se. That’s why we decided to play outside. I even called my friends from the Faculty of Arts and Daulat Ram College, and sabke saath we played. Who cares who is from which college? Holi hai, bhai Holi hai,” said Kumar.

Ramjas College students played Holi with vibrant colours, both inside and outside the college.

Another student enjoying these impromptu Holi festivities on campus was Nritigya Thakur, from Ramjas College. She shares how her entire group was ushered out of the college, right after their classes, and the gates were closed quite promptly. “Andar nahi toh bahar hi sahi, Holi hai toh khelni zaroori thi,” said the second-year BA (Prog) student, adding, “We ran on the footpaths and jumped over the benches to empty water bottles on each other! Phir wapas college ke andar bhi nahi jaane diya guard bhaiyya ne, so we all headed home after we got tired playing.”

Delhi School of Economics’ students converted their bottles into water guns, when it came to playing Holi.

It wasn’t a compulsion for those who didn’t want to play, but many brought in their friends to join in the fun and not miss their fam jam back home. For instance, Vipul Anand, a final-year student of MA (Geography) at Delhi School of Economics, felt joyous as he shared, “I live in a PG and can’t go back home to Bihar for just the Holi break as exams are right around the corner. So when my friends came over to my PG in Kamla Nagar, after college, to especially include me in the festive spirit, it gave me full ghar wali vibes. Iss baar sach mein DU wali Holi manayi!”

The eatery next to Hansraj College provided some a chance to satiate their hunger pangs post Holi celebration.

The josh of staying true to the Holi spirit also compelled some students to head to the nearby Kamla Nagar market, to satiate their food pangs. “Ours was such an impromptu plan to play Holi that nobody had brought gulaal from home yet by the end of it almost everyone in my group of friends had colourful faces,” said Pooja Singh, a second-year LLB student of Campus Law Centre. “Teeka lagate lagate entire faces got covered in colour. But it was worth it! And soon after we went to K-Nags to gorge on golgappas, chowmein and dosas kyunki humari shakal dekh ke ghar mein jab ghusenge toh mummy khaana baad mein dengi aur daant pehle (laughs).”

Author tweets @KritiKambiri

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