Holi

Holi - The Festival of Colors is right around the corner. It is a festival for the kids, and those who are kids at heart. As a kid, I used to love to play Holi. Oh, the dry and wet colors, the water balloons, and the pichkaris (Water guns). The fun never ends. We used to get up on the roof in the morning and start generating a *good* supply of water balloons (gubbara). Sometimes we'd put colored water in the gubbaras, but mostly, it was just plain water directly out of the tap on the roof. So after having an ammunition of atleast 50 or so balloons, we'd hide and be on the lookout for unsuspecting passer-bys down in the street. Spot a target, aim and shoot. If you miss, there is no second chance as the victim would know where it came from! The aunties used to be our favorite targets because they'd get so irritated sometimes...Heee And then we'd say the favorite slogan of Holi - 'Bura na mano; Holi hai' or just "Holi hai!" ("Don't mind; It's Holi!") Sometimes we'd just be pouring buckets of colored water down at people. SO much fun!

Ah, the good old days. And to be a kid again. Sometimes, we'd be so busy preparing balloon or finding targets, we'd be hit by someone else on a roof or from behind the door. After being on the roof for quite a while, we'd venture outside when the coast was clear. We HAD to get to friend's houses and get them and their parents, ofcourse! This is where we'd usually be caught because the neighborhood guys were always hiding in the streets. They'd sneak up on us and we'd freak out! It was their chance to get back at us. And this is why we went in groups. Never alone!

The uncles and aunties of the neighborhood always played boring holi - just with Gulal (dry colors) which is easily washed off. The real fun is in the water. I guess I have become the Auntie now as I'm only going to play with Gulal this time LOL! My brother used to come home after playing with his friends and he was unrecognizable. All the guys were indistinguishable by face.

Holi is always at the beginning of spring and it's comfortably warm in Delhi now. It's a nice way to transition from winter to spring. Here it's still a bit cold to play with water.

It is this Saturday. Since coming to the US, this is the one festival which is completely lost for me. I like to put a little bit of gulal on DH's and Mehul's foreheads, but that's the extent these days. HOWEVER, this weekend we're going to the Temple to celebrate it. There are great many people who celebrate at the temple, so this time we're going. We'll wear something we don't mind ruining and will just have a great time. I'm so excited!! This will be Mehul's first 'proper' Holi. I hope to have a little bit of my childhood back :)

Some Holi pictures from Flickr They're not mine but hope you have fun looking at them.