Let the colors of Holi spread the message of peace and happiness.

Mohe Rang de:What’s the most unholy place to play Holi – kichad, mitti, bhang, the works? Campus

Holi re!: Some traditions can sure be weird. Whoever heard of a baraat minus an actual marriage ceremony, or a mud bath to celebrate the festival of colours? But it all happens in our very own Delhi, the occasion being Holi. And the proud keepers of the traditions are none other than the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and St Stephen’s College.

Holi hai!:The revelry at JNU kicks off the evening before Holi with a wedding baraat. In the two-decade-old custom, nobody actually gets married but that does not stop it from being a fun-filled affair. The celebration has a name — Chaat Sammelan — complete with a Chaat King.

Sprinkle of spring: May you have the most blessed holi festival than you ever had.The sammelan, attended by more than 1,000 students, faculty members and alumni, is one of the two main functions celebrated at JNU. ‘‘Preparations for this grand sammelan start a week in advance.

Lets change colors for a day : And it is like any other Hindu wedding. Taapti hostel is the groom’s side and Jhelum hostel is bride’s
side. The baraat starts from Taapti after a tilak ceremony by the warden’s wife and the groom, who is selected unanimously, is dressed in weird attire and rides a donkey till the wedding venue. A gulal shop in the heart of city :The previous year’s Chaat King officiates as his ‘‘father’’ and the one of the year before is the groom’s ‘‘grandfather’’. And they all reach the venue on their respective donkeys. The ‘‘baraatis’’ dance, sing and play with colour as the procession progresses towards the venue where the warden of Jhelum hostel greets the bridegroom. What follows is a series of dance performances, poetry sessions, etc

A kid checks his 'weapons' for the festival of colors.

Gujiya-A traditional Indian holi food being prepared in a road side hotel in Patel Nagar, west Delhi .

The most interesting part is the memorial awards, which are named after living people. For example, there is a Dr Karan Singh memorial award, named after the university’s very-muchalive chancellor. The idea is not to run down people, but to have some fun. At St Stephen’s College, the revelry takes the form of mayhem in a ‘‘mud bath’’. Students dig a pit and fill it with colours and water. And everybody has to take a dip in it. ‘‘From the principal to professors to students, everybody is pushed into this pit. Third year students organize it,’’ said Aarushi Bhargava, a final year student.