holi... the colors and the splash...

Holi... The word reminds me of filling water balloons ... The colour... And running hard to avoid those very water balloons... 

My first wrist watch was a prize my dad won in musical chair at his company's Holi party. I was so ecstatic... For a little girl of standard first, wearing a wrist watch to school was a huge bragging point. My brother still feels cheated that I got the watch at such a young time, when they got their watches in 5th class. Well each generation enjoys certain privileges. The toddlers are enjoying nursery rhymes on I-pads these days, could we even think about it then? 

Oh back to holi. Personally I attach holi to start of summers, which is a bit sad for a winter loving person like me. But I love the colours , yellow, red ,green, violet, blue,... ink, cow dung, mud.... Hahhahaah yes... why not...!!! Don't lie.. it's the truth... Is there a child who has not thrown ink at friends or who himself has not been ink-victimized.. then the mud and cow dung..eeewww. but yes . There are a whole lot of people who play this one too... 

Old day Doordarshan and radio.. my mom still searches for holi songs on the radio... And the hasya kavi sammelan by Ashok Chakradhar... Oh it was an annual event on holi... So was the yearly search for old-new-clothes... Mom used to keep ready new-looking old clothes... " Don't open the door without changing into- a la holi clothes". Color was kept ready near the door in plates , ready in case someone comes to play holi and throw holi color on us ...

Personally I have never had a bhang pakoda or laddoo... But yes I have heard people eating on holi. On holi we used to totally avoid eating sweets, lest someone gives us bhang pakoda. another yearly sweet with holi is .. GUJIYA... The lovely, the tasty, the enticing pastry filled with dry fruits, Mava and sugar... ohhh I want one right now... We call the half one prakadi and round one khandori in my family in Kangra... Its a delicacy which I feel is royal and everyone loves it.

 Best part was buying pichkaris... Oh such a variety each year. New theme each year, then we came to know about brass pichkaris our father and chachaji and taujis used to play with. I still look at the pichkaris in the bazar and malls everytime I go during the weeks before holi. 

One ritual is holika dehen... We didn't see it in Punjab or Himachal. But now in Gujarat, I saw how a big bonfire was lit and we prayed around it... Just like Lohri is celebrated in Punjab... the next day the colours and waters and party... Growing up we used to have to shut ourselves in our homes due to the rising hooliganism... But after my wedding when I came to Gujarat... Yes it was a fresh welcome... It was so safe to be with my husband , my sister in law, our cousins and being on the streets of my husband's hometown on holi yet so safe... I felt so safe  and so free and happy... 

Here's wishing you all Happy Holi... May your life be colorful and warm and safe with love of your friends and family and blessings of God...