Bura na mano holi hai

Holi’S blithe spirit is already redolent in the air as merry children herald the joi de vivre of Holi with their water-pipes squirting liquid-colours all around. Brimming over with excitement, the spirits of children are soaring high amidst the din and the hustle-bustle of the festival. The evening before the full moon day of Holi, “Holika-dahan� is observed commemorating the legend of Prahlad and his devotion to Lord Vishnu. Usually, this ceremony is a community celebration in which people gather near the fire and rend the air with folk songs. Some quaint customs are also attached to Holika Dahan, but the burning of dry timber is central to the ritual.
Holi is celebrated the next day known as Parva when a riot of colours takes over. Coloured powder is smeared on faces; pichkaris filled with water are sprayed on people and water balloons thrown in the spirit of fun. For some, Holi is unadulterated fun; for others it is a religious festival.
Rahul Jain, 19, a college student, is eagerly awaiting the festival this year to partake of its sheer fun. He says, “The streets are full of the sound and boisterous fury of the merrymakers and I, too, join in the fun, whizzing through the streets with my friends.� Adds Bittu Solanki, “We prepare mud baths and people are dunked into it amidst fun and laughter.�
The members of the Chaudhary family play Holi in Brij style. Says Ekta Chaudhary, “Men try very hard to squirt colours on us, but all the womenfolk unite together to chase the men with bamboo sticks. At times, men are walloped by women and the days following Holi are spent in nursing cuts and bruises inflicted upon them. It’s the only time when we can thrash men, and my hands are already itching for action.�
During Holi, getting high on bhaang is perfectly acceptable. Thandai is offered to cool down the liver. However, it has become customary to mix bhaang with thandai. “Observing the altered behaviour-pattern of those who have consumed bhaang is a sight that affords plenty of mirth and fun,� recalls Archana Singh.
However, there are some like Deepali Bhatnagar, who shuts herself off on the Holi day. Deepali finds the festival dirty and messy though she relishes the Holi delicacies.
Kirti Kale, Hindi poetess, is busy attending hasya kavi sammellans these days. She remarks, “Though kavi sammellans are organised throughout the year, the Holi mood kicks in even richer and vibrant with the hasya ras. This is the most awaited but very hectic time for the poet-fraternity.� And with the hasya rang picking up momentum as Holi gets near, get ready to feed on the frenzy of the Holi masti.