The cold 40 degree temperature on April 5th could not deter 200 adults and children of New England area from celebrating Holi (Festival of Colors) in its true spirit, and in the way it is traditionally celebrated. This fun-filled event was organized on April 5th at the Chelmsford High School in North Chelmsford, MA. While the participants had fun, they also earned the satisfaction of giving back to the community and making a difference in the community they live in.  

The event was sponsored by State Street Corporation and was supported by Bollywood Grill, Hot Breads and Zaika Indian Bistro restaurant.

The event started with a cultural program with Sewa International showcasing local young talented children who sang melodious songs and performed a dance. Popular local child artist and winner of Boston Sargam 2013, Sachi Badola, mesmerized the audience with a melodious rendition of “Nadiya Kinare” from the Bollywood classic Abhiman.  Cultural program was concluded with a Sewa’s version of Fun-takshari.  Five teams participated in the Fun-takshari and  the wining team members were awarded  gift certificates donated by Hot Breads.

Cultural program was followed by HoliKa-Dahan and Holi puja.  Dr. Promod Pandey, a Sewa volunteer explained the significance of Holi to the children and its relevance in the present day society. This was followed by the main attraction, "Colors". The participants smeared each other with colors and danced to the tunes of Holi songs. They braved the cold weather to enjoy this segment of the festivities for over an hour. More than 50 pounds of different colors were used.                   

While addressing the audience, Shri Raju Datla of Sewa International requested the participants to get involved in community building. He also explained how the event’s proceeds will be used to support the families of 2 firefighters who were recently killed in Boston in line of duty.  An appeal was also made to raise funds for Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment project.

Sewa volunteers prepared and sold delicious food during the event to raise funds for supporting community service projects. Sewa International decided to send a contribution of $501 to the Walsh and Kennedy Firefighter fund and $251 to the Bhutanese refugee empowerment project out of the funds raised at the event.

About SEWA International
Sewa International is a Hindu faith based nonprofit charity registered under the Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). Mission of Sewa is to serve humanity in distress, aid local communities, and promote volunteerism. Sewa has 38 chapters in 22 states across the US. Sewa runs disaster relief/rehabilitation projects and have been involved in Hurricane Katrina (2005), Super Storm Sandy (2012), Maharashtra Drought, and Uttarakhand Flood (2013) relief. Sewa undertakes development projects in India, Sri Lanka, Peru, Guyana, and Kenya, and service projects in the US such as Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment, Adopt-a-highway, Diwali Food Drive, etc. In Boston, Sewa volunteers conduct regular community building projects such as food for hungry, service for children at cradle to crayons, support to Bhutanese refugees in Springfield, Westfield, Lowell, New Hampshire areas, and support for homeless women at Rosie’s place.

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