As I sit by my window and look out at the beautiful palm trees, I can hear loud music playing in the building behind our garden. The DJ is playing loud thumping music and playing all holi songs. Holi ke din dil mil jaate hai, maaro bhar bhar pichkari, holi khelat biraj mein, rang barse ..it gets me nostalgic.
When we were growing up there was no DJ. Mom made Gujhiyas, dahi bada, Pulao, got Gheear ( a big thin jalebi, v crisp and syrupy!). I, on the other hand buy it all.We filled water balloons and filled buckets of water and threw them at passersby and derived great sadistic pleasure in wetting Aunties and Uncles. Different tolis would come and we would splash colour ,water and balloons over them. My brother would then join one of the tolis and go visiting . The toli would thus grow bigger and bigger.Later we would be bathed and scrubbed mercilessly by mom with Mitti ka tel ,and then devour all the homemade goodies. I wonder ,if Mom really enjoyed this festival? She had lots of extra work on her platter. Cooking delicacies, scrubbing children,wiping and cleaning the house every 15 minutes, greeting and serving the colourful guests who dropped by.
The holi that we celebrate now. My children play in the garden with pichkari and water pipes.Followed by Rain dance, DJ, Samosa, jalebi, kachori, soft drinks ( All sourced out ) for adults-Beer,breezers, bhhang. We don`t visit anyone neither does any one even dream of coming to our house. (Remember no house help on this day. So no one even wants to look at a visitor ,let alone a dripping colourful one!)We all chip in and meet at any one friends building compound, dance,eat , play a bit and go back. Though all our children are allowed to fill water ballons they are not allowed to throw them at others. Only at their friends below the hips!
And though with times celebrations have changed too,what remains constant is the thrill, joy, happiness we feel during various festivals. So Happy Holi to you all. May this Holi add more colour and brightness to your lives!
Ps..now they are playing ..saat rang mein khel rahi hai dil waalo ki toli re...Rang de gulaal mohe aayi holi aaye re
pic courtsey www.indiacultureblog.com
