Happy Holi!!!

Today is Holi, the festival of colors, like the festival of lights it has its own importance. It is celebrated for 4-5 days and ends on Rang Panchami. The uniqueness of the occasion yet does not undermine the purpose of the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated as the day when an evil father Hiranyakashyup tried to kill his son Prahlad by asking him to sit on a pyre of Holika Devi, but on praying to Lord Vishnu, he survives and Holika herself burns in it. It is celebrated everywhere in India by lighting a pyre and praying that the fire consumes your sins and makes you a better person. Then a pooja is done and prasad is distributed among the people who attend the pooja.

For us, as kids, the next day was more fun though. It was time to get drenched, spray your friends with all the different colors and throw balloons filled with water and color at unsuspecting pedestrians. Oh, those were the good days when for a day you were not scolded for spilling/hitting something/someone intentionally. After the 4-5 hours of playing with the colors and water, everyone looked the same, face colored with shades of colors you had never seen, clothes drenched and teeth white as if we had just paid a visit to the dentist. Then there was oil paint. I really used to like the shiny painted faces that the paint created but once someone painted my younger brother's face with an oil paint and we had a pretty tough time getting it off. That was really nasty. It’s been almost 10 years since I have played Holi and would like to plan a trip to India once just for this. Let’s see... Wish you all a very Happy Holi!!!