Pasadena’s Dual Holi Celebrations Bridge Tradition and Community

As the local Hindu community participates in traditional Holi observances this week, Pasadena’s dual approach to the Festival of Colors highlights how immigrant traditions evolve in American multicultural settings.

The celebrations will unfold through two distinct but complementary events: religious observances at the Pasadena Hindu Temple yesterday and Friday, March 14, and then separately the community-focused Holi Hungama at Victory Park on March 22.

“Holika Dahan, the burning of a bonfire the night before Holi, symbolizes the victory of good over evil,” said Shubhshree Bhargava, Holi event organizer at the temple.

“This tradition has its roots in a mythological story in which an evil king was destroyed by his son, who was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu,” she explained.

The temple’s ceremonies begin with Holika Dahan on Thursday evening and continue with the traditional Holi celebration on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Holi Hungama will take place at Victory Park the following weekend, featuring organic colored powders, Indian food, live music and cultural performances for the broader community.

“Holi, the festival of colors, symbolizes the arrival of spring, the beginning of new life,” Bhargava said. “It is celebrated by playing with colored powders which symbolize the bright colors of Spring.”

During Holi, celebrated in India and in Indian communities worldwide, people playfully throw colored water and powders on one another in joyous celebration.

The local temple’s dual approach serves Pasadena’s growing Indian American community, which comprises approximately 4,200 residents or 3.1% of the city’s population, while creating opportunities for cross-cultural engagement.

The temple observes Holi on its traditional date – the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Phalguna on the lunar calendar – while the larger Holi Hungama event is scheduled on a weekend to maximize community participation.

“Holi symbolizes love, unity and friendship,” Bhargava noted. “On this holiday people from all races, cultures, ethnicities and genders come together to have a good time.”

Attendees of Holi Hungama are advised to wear white clothing they don’t mind staining to enhance the visual impact of the colors during the festivities.

The celebration has evolved considerably as Pasadena’s Indian American population has grown, transforming from a small affair with mostly temple families to a significant community event.

“Every neighborhood in most parts of India will have a Holika Dahan with a big bonfire around which people gather with their friends and family to pray for protection from evil,” Bhargava said.

The City of Pasadena’s Youth Ambassadors Program, led by supervisor La Toya Andrews, partners with temple organizers to help coordinate volunteer efforts for the community celebration.

“The Youth Ambassadors join us every year and help us in many ways,” Bhargava said. “They make our task so much easier with their help! They are an amazing group of kids! I, and other people who attended the event, have been very impressed by the energy, the positivity and the willingness to work hard in these kids.”

This collaboration between the temple and municipal programs underscores Pasadena’s commitment to inclusive civic engagement while providing hands-on experience for young community leaders.

Local businesses, particularly Indian restaurants and shops along South Rosemead Blvd., benefit from increased sales during the festival period as community members prepare for and celebrate the holiday.

Pasadena’s approach offers a model for how immigrant cultural traditions can be preserved while being adapted for wider community participation, balancing religious significance with inclusive community events.

The temple’s celebration at 676 S. Rosemead Blvd. focuses on spiritually enriching experiences, while Holi Hungama at Victory Park provides a family-friendly immersion in the festival’s joyous communal spirit.

While larger, more commercialized Holi events occur elsewhere in Southern California, Pasadena’s approach maintains stronger ties to the festival’s religious roots through its dual celebration model.