The children in the picture will not attain the school tomorrow!
In some parts of India, Holi is celebrated over the period of 16 days in the month of Phalgun. And I hate Phalgun for its notoriety of being an EXAMS month. In Maharashtra, more particularly in Mumbai, even more particularly in case of the 8 to 9 years olds, the advent of Holi is roughly 2 weeks before the HOLIKA DAHAN. The emptying of water bottles in the school bus was always so much of fun. I remember my herculean effort to let my thirst take a back seat so that I don’t fall short of water to be used for more useful purposes in the school bus.
Holi is celebrated in almost every country, now-a-days. Exceptions of course are Azerbaijan, Sudan, Somalia and Zimbabwe. The first three countries are the only few countries were the Indians haven’t migrated. If the Govt yet again ‘renews’ the RESERVATION policies, then probably we can see a few Iyers, Iyengars, Agarkars, Joshis, Gokhales, Desai,Sharmas playing Holi amongst themselves in the remotest famine-ridden Somalian deserts. In Zimbabwe, one packet of Gulal is costlier than a Rakesh Roshan flick.
Even Google is playing Holi today.
Holi to me is like Sachin Tendulkar to the Team India. Actually even more. And making a ‘list’ of almost everything is my passion. Any jokes on PASSION, ACTIVA, or SPLENDOR will not be tolerated. So, I make a list of why Holi is one of the dearest festivals to me.
1) PURAN POLI.
The Holi is a SPRING festival. Or more rightly, the beginning of the end of the WINTER and the beginning of the SUMMER. My logic, thus, says that it is the right time to devour on Puran Poli which is considered a bit HOT for the body. EAT 10 of them at a time and you will probably understand, more so, remember forever. I have experienced this. The activity burgeons, quite miraculously, a pimple on a human ear lobe. My PURAN POLI antics are so well known in the vicinity that I get texts from near-by AUNTIES, kakus and MAUSHIS when they prepare ‘these’ jaggary-stuffed-tur dal-white flour-polis.
PURAN POLI WITH LOTS OF TUP (GHEE) ON IT = TONGUE-ORGASM!!!!!
"Holi re Holi puranachi poli"
PURAN POLI WITH TUP ON IT!
Eat these many Puran Polis in a single sitting!
2) WATER BALLOONS. (AND ALSO THE 25 paise wala THAILIS)
They might be unsafe, not fit for 3 years old children; but they are fun. During childhood, every year, I had to undergo a stiff task to convince my parents for the purchase of water balloons, at least 4 packets, each of different size. Parents would worry over the safety, rather the lack of it actually, of playing with the water balloons. I always knew parents would finally allow, followed by some CAUTIONS-TO-BE-TAKEN-WHILE-THROWING-THEM-ON-ELDERS. My parents would buy safety goggles as well to safeguard their son from an unanticipated balloon attack, though I never ever used them. I would get up early at around 4:00 A.M. so that I had a stock of at least 200 balloons with me, with enough water in them, at the time of an attack from the neighborhood. Kids of my age fought a battle with the neighboring CHS Girnar. We had gone one step further in calling Girnar as PAKISTAN. And our CHS as INDIA.
CAUTION: Balloons can contain any fluid ranging from egg ingredients, colored liquid to tap water (only special cases though). Some errant anti-social elements use some AGE-LIMIT-INCREASING-DEATH-DEFERRING-BODILY-FLUID as well. So, BEWARE!!!!
3) PICHKARI:
PICHKARIs, and that too those fluorescent-yellow/green or fluorescent-pink or fluorescent-orange ones. Of course, with 2 containers with a capacity of storing at least 1 quintal of water in it.
The guy is not me! REALLY!
4) BHAANG:
CAUTION: You can find this post being published numerous times.That’s not my fault.
Cannabis (bhaang) seeds into milk, followed by some boiling of the emulsion, with lots of dry fruits in it, tastes awful. But, its more pleasing effects on the nervous system are awesome. Especially when consumed in copious amounts using large LASSI utensils.
Try laughter and bhang together, I bet you will continue with the laughter for another 6 hrs if you manage to stay awake. So, it is highly recommended to the students giving BOARD exams so that they can manage the rote lessons.
5) BONFIRE:
The killing wetness & the shivering body due to the HOLI HAI atmosphere is enough to be a reason for a visit to a physician in the near future. Thus, the HOLIKA DAHAN BONFIRE is always a respite from the coldness. While my family is busy with performing the puja and aarti near the bonfire, my wet form is more interested in the gathering of the coconut offerings from the bonfire that are part-roasted in the bonfire. My mother T finds the coconut KHAVAT (rotten in MARATHI) and declares that the coconut offerings have reached the ALMIGHTY.
My wet face quickly dries up. There is a mysterious coolness in the heat and warmth of the bonfire. It reminds me of those wonderful hours I spend reading a book under the coolness of the candle light. SIMPLY DIVINE. And I wonder how a candle light dinner with a loved one can be!
HOLI HAI BHAI HOLI HAI!!!
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