Holi Hai....

I couldn't resist posting one about Holi. Seeing so many of the Indian websites pompously advertise the "Holi fest" can only bring back fond memories of growing up in Delhi and having a blast at holi.
Over the years my association with holi has kept diminishing to the pointthat last couple of years it has become nil. Holi is popularly celebrated in the northern part of India. Moving to the south/US has snapped all my ties to holi....but it still manages to bring a smile on my face.

Back to my good ol days....Holi always came just before the annual exams.So every year we would be faced with the dilemma weather to sit at home and study or go have fun. offcourse as kids we obviously wanted to do the latter.I, for one would be sitting by the window pretending to read with the attention span of a butterfly. Realising my concentration level, my parents had no choice but to let me go. With a word of caution from my parents and a dirty dress on I would be more than happy to join my friends and just get out of my home.

The previous day we would be busy buying colors and filling up balloons.The prev day to holi is also referred to as choti holi meaning mini celebration.meaning you can catch a few people unawares with the filled up balloons/pichkaris but nothing to draw the attention.

On holi day I clearly remember watching gang of people coming out with colours and water pichkaris from all over the neighbourhood right at the start of day. The thing I really liked was the instant bonding displayed by people(which is rare and far fetched these days). X would enjoy holi with Y whom he/she has never met. Such was the effect, with everyone just enjoying the fest and the fervour.

A whole day of fun would end by late afternoon. Some people continue the fun with a bhujia(snacks) & bhaang(something to give you a high....as if you need one)session.
For most of us the day of fun would end in a major scrubbing and cleansisng process.Mind you, it takes hours/days to get back to ur normal self.

While I mentioned a lot of good thigs about the festival. The standard is degrading over the years and the innocent fun is getting lost to malicious behavior and trouble makers who turn things sour. I think anything is fun and exciting as long as we stick to the limits.

On that note I'll sign off with a "Holi hai"