HOLI enjoyed as a Family Event

Holi at CMLA is always a chance to come together to celebrate, and this year was no different. We enjoyed the morning and afternoon with the community through outdoor activities, shared meals, and a colorful afternoon full of joy for all ages. On March 14, a bright morning at Mike Ward Community Park in Irvine, families gathered not just to throw colors, but to build connections with our local Hindu community. The event took about two months to organize, with tickets sold online. The hard work of CMLA volunteers paid off, as we enjoyed a relaxed, family-friendly morning under the sun.

 
The day began at 9:00 AM with a CORD walkathon. After the walk, registration opened, and by 10:00 AM CMLA students were already out on the grass, enjoying the games laid out by the organizers. Volunteers also set up two bump houses for young children to participate. From 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM, CMLA arranged lunch: parents enjoyed a warm Indian meal, while kids lined up for pizza and chocolate croissants.

 

At 1:30 pm, the color throwing started. Behind that fun was a lot of dusty work done by volunteers. I sat down with a young CHYK member, who volunteered at the event and also participated as a guest. She, along with fellow CHYK and JCHYK team members, had been responsible for packing many of the Holi colors, a messy, time-consuming job that involved measuring colors into bags, sealing them, and hauling them to the park.

“When I saw people throwing colors, I knew at least one or two of those handfuls came from  our work,” she told me. “That gave me a weird sense of pride. I was glad to see people enjoying themselves.” For her, the event was also a chance to practice seva—a core value at Chinmaya Mission. “Seva isn’t just showing up the day of,” she explained. “It’s the background work. The packing, the planning, the cleaning up. That’s how you actually participate in the community.”

Our volunteer had brought her long-time college friend, who had never been to a Holi celebration, to the event. She introduced her to other CHYK friends and felt proud to show off how connected she had become after two years in the community. That's what CMLA offers: a place where young people can build a connection to their Hindu faith and share it with the outside world.

I also spoke with a Bala Vihar parent couple, long time CMLA attendees whose middle and high school children have made Holi a family tradition. They appreciated how the event brings together all ages, from toddlers in the bump houses to teenagers playing tug of war, parents chatting, and grandparents watching from the shade. For them, that intergenerational mix is what makes a community healthy. They got a chance to enjoy their culture, alongside many other families. They also noted that the location, Mike Ward Community Park in Irvine, was open, clean, and beautiful. They agreed that morning activities like tug of war and the walkathon tired the kids out just enough, so by the time the colors started, everyone was already in a good mood. “For us, it was a very positive experience, very family orientated,” they remarked. “The kids were having a blast, even if it was hot. After the colors came out, the kids went crazy with fun. It was amazing to see.”

The event was built entirely by the community, relying on CHYK volunteers and adult volunteers working side by side. Every task, big or small, was done by people who simply showed up to help.

Holi is often described as a festival of colors, but at CMLA this year it was also a festival of small, meaningful acts: packing a bag of color, bringing a friend to see your world, watching your kids play tug of war, sharing pizza with a neighbor. At the end of the day, someone touched the colors you packed. That’s what makes it worth doing. Come out next year and be part of CMLA’s Holi. Volunteers are always welcome—no experience needed, just a willingness to help.

-- Madhu Velumani