Page 4 - Washinton County Arts Guide - Spring 2014

Bollywood flair highlights Rang Barse event

Hillsboro dance studio hosts festival that welcomes spring in Hindu tradition

BY CINDY DAUER

C
olors will fall from the

sky like rain. They will

4
also be shot out of

squirt guns and thrown by the

handful.
AY
M
You can expect all this and more —
when Rang Barse — an event that
H
celebrates the Indian festival of Holi RC
— returns to Washington County for A
M
a third year this March.
❘
E
Tied to an ancient Hindu tradition, D
Holi is a celebration of spring often UI
G
called the festival of colors. It TS
includes a combination of music, R
A
dance, culture, food and color. Rang TYSEN
Barse, the local event, adds a NUL
OU PA
Bollywood flair to the festivities and CCK
N Y RI
caters to a diverse crowd.
OES
Organizer Sushmita Poddar, who GTURT
NCO
owns an Indian dance studio and a HI
boutique off of Cornelius Pass Road in AS
W
Hillsboro, started hosting the festival
in 2012 at the Washington County

Fairgrounds. She wanted to bring a

celebration of Holi to the Portland Participants from last year’s festival wear their colors with pride at Rang Barse. More than 900 people attended the local celebration
area.
of Holi, a traditional Hindu festival, in 2013. Organizers are hoping for another great turnout on March 22, 2014.

To Poddar, the festival is not just
about welcoming spring; it’s about to Indian-style appetizers, including colors.

celebrating together as a community samosas, pakoras, chai tea and coffee, Rang Barse is sponsored by
and breaking down social and along with an Indian food lunch buffet Bollywood Movez and Amarapali

cultural barriers often associated from local restaurant India Palace.
Boutique, which features Poddar’s
Adding to the festivities, this year original clothing designs and
with the caste system in India.
“On this festival day, we are all dancers from Bollywood Movez — imports from India.

colored in the same colors,” Poddar Poddar’s dance studio in Hillsboro — Festivities run from 11 a.m. to 2
said.
will be performing a traditional dance p.m. at the Washington County

Last year nearly 1,000 people from associated with Holi.
Fairgrounds on March 22.
diverse backgrounds attended Rang Attendees are encouraged to wear Participants are encouraged to

Barse, nearly doubling the attendance white or light colored clothing, and arrive early. Early bird tickets are
will leave covered in color from head $20 until Feb. 28. Advance tickets
from the previous year.
This year Poddar plans to bring to toe. The colors used at Rang Barse are $25 each. Tickets are $30 at the

back some of the most popular are imported directly from India and door.
elements of the festival, in addition to are organic and safe. Poddar spares Early-bird tickets can be

adding some new things.
no expense to ensure that the colors purchased online at
DJ Noop — who brings a do not contain hazardous or bollywoodmovez.com. ■

contemporary mix of music that will dangerous chemicals.
The local event gets its name —
make you want to dance — returns Rang Barse draws a diverse crowd to
for his third year at the festival. Rang Barse — from a Bollywood song
and in Hindi means pouring or falling
the Washington County Fairgrounds to
Attendees will also be treated again
celebrate the festival of colors.