John's World Special...Holi


One of the fondest memories of my childhood was playing with my sister down in the basement of my grandparents in Hershey.  While she was playing on the old cash register, I was immersed in the collection of 40+ years of National Geographic.  One of the most common images over the years was the magazine capturing the image of the festival of Holi.  Seeing the bright colors flying in the air, with joyful people dancing around had drawn me to this celebration for decades.  Finally, I would get to see what Holi is all about first hand during our trip to Delhi.

Like many festivals you find many different versions of its origin.  Most revolve around Krishna and his love for Radha.  In the end, its a celebration of love's renewing power.  Its considered a good time to forgive others, start a new project or business, or give up bad habits.  Its a celebration of the promise Spring brings us and especially a celebration of love.

Temple


Its celebrated over around two days.  Day one, many people will celebrate at work.  They will smear colored powders (gulal) on each other.  At night, people will convene at their local temple and celebrate around Krishna with the throwing of flower pedals and heart pounding music.

The main day of Holi is celebrated around the afternoon.  Friends will gather together at the park as we did with our cousins Ashok and Geetu.  People in the area will enjoy auspicious snacks and food like red lentils, giant brightly colored jalebis, and onion bhajis.  Every family will bring a pack of gulal of a certain color.  Red represents love, blue Krishna and spiritual growth, green virility, orange new beginnings, and yellow health and peace.  As you exchange greetings, you take a pinch (or more) of powder and smear it on their face and they do the same to you.  Well, that is how the grown ups do it.  The kids enjoy taking handfuls of powder and throwing it at you along with a hefty squirt of water from a water gun or water balloon.  Everyone laughs and has a good time.  Young and old, rich and poor, all take part in the fun with each other.  It's bright, it's beautiful, its happy.


pakoras and everything else you can imagine that can be fried



Thank you to Ashok and Geetu for hosting us.  Happy Holi!


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