Just days after we arrived from our vacation we experienced our first Holi holiday. Holi is considered as the festival of colours. The night before Holi, the Hindus are supposed to light a fire in memory of the miraculous escape of Prahlad from the Demoness Holika when she carried him through fire. Because Prahlad was a follower of Lord Vishnu she escaped unharmed, but Holika was not as lucky and she was burnt. This is the only explanation I have received about this holiday and I am not sure how the colours come into play. Regardless of the reason, it is one fun holiday. It is a time to throw your inhibitions to the wind and let go of any social graces.
Here is how it begins:
1. Throw water balloons at those you know.
2. Take all your frustrations out on your boss and throw coloured powder at his face when he isn't looking.
3. Throw coloured powder at the small children cause they are an easy target.
4. Throw coloured powder at your madame cause she had nasty looking hair anyways.
5. Allow the children to attack you.
6. Watch your didis duke it out and realize that there is a lot of pent up frustration between the two.
7. See how many colours can fit on one face.
8. Get in the car and take on perfect strangers with water balloons and bags full of coloured powder.
9. Be amazed that the entire city shuts down for this holiday, and the streets are only populated with brave souls.
10. Stare at all the insanity.
11. Stupidly drive through the fruit and vegetable market and realize that throwing tomatoes is fair game.
12. Notice that high levels are optimal during a day like today and watch the water balloons fly.
13. Find out that it is not only H2O in the balloons. There is a water shortage after all and little boys have an automatic hose. (YUCK!)
14. Realize that it is wise to keep all windows shut and mouth closed if hit by a water balloon.
15. Witness Sarita slam a tourist in Thamel...
...and watch others run for their lives.
16.Pick up a stranger in Thamel and give him a ride.
17. Feel glad that I took the children out of school so they could join in on the fun. This is better than Halloween!
18. Allow the children to brave the streets and throw things at anyone they can reach.
19. Decide that it might be fun to do the same, and not care if I get splattered with a pee bag or nasty Bagmati river juice.
20. Enjoy the best holiday in Nepal EVER and count the days down until the next year!
5 comments:
I love Holi!! It really is a crazy fun holiday! I experienced it for the first time in 2001 in India, and I was amazed there was such a thing! Love the pictures and that you let loose and had a LOT of fun :).
We've seen that on the Amazing Race! It was CRAZY!! They had to get their clue in the middle of the chaos--they were COVERED and wet. It was awesome.
what a fun holiday!! i wish we had such a fun, care free holiday in the states!
You are so brave to throw yourself into the middle of the celebration, despite the dubious contents of some of the projectiles.
You guys are too funny. That post totally had me rolling.
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