Yesterday the kids and I, along with the rest of Bombay, celebrated the Hindu festival of Holi. Like all good Indian festivals, Holi is a mixture of craziness, camaraderie, spirituality and the very real possibility that someone will lose an eye.
I've been told Holi celebrates the beginning of summer. The festivities involve dousing your friends, family, or complete strangers with coloured powder and water. It is not a good day to wear your best white linen. (Actually, since all Bombay seasons seem to be a variation of summer I'm not sure what the party is for. No doubt there are other significances. I'll check.)
On Holi it's as though Bombay becomes a giant paint-ball arena. On the streets, gangs of boys roam armed with their packets of powder dyes and military grade water pistols, ready to strike at passerbys, the more unsuspecting the better. Usually in high spirits from either 'bhang' a drink brewed from cannabis, or ordinary alcohol, these gangs can get rowdy and are best avoided at all costs. Especially if you are on a motorbike and things like visibility and balance are important to you.
Most people in the city celebrate in big groups, either at parties or within their apartment complexes, known here as 'colonies'. Last year our colony went all out and erected a huge rain shower in the car park under the trees. Food was laid on and grandparents, parents and kids alike ran amok with their super-soakers. The atmosphere was that of a huge wet, colourful carnival. The teenagers particularly seem to enjoy playing Holi, perhaps because it's the one time of year they can make physical contact with someone of the opposite sex without raising eyebrows.
This year, with city-wide water shortages, there was no rainshower but still no lack of coloured water in the water pistols. Some things are sacred after all.
Recently there has been a drive to make Holi more environment and health friendly. The coloured powders sold on the streets have been reported to contain all varieties of toxic substances. Every year you hear of at least one person going blind or having a severe skin reaction from 'playing Holi' with dodgy dyes.
My kids were told by their teacher to brew up dyes made from vegetables and edible spices - helped by mummy of course. Nice idea teacher. We bought non-toxic dyes at the supermarket.
As usual Holi ended with everyone in the shower scrubbing away at patches of blue, red and orange, with varied success. Sometimes it can take a couple of days to get the dye off completely. My kids went to school this morning with bright pink splotches on their scalps. Not to worry, I'm sure they won't be the only ones.
(Ok. I've looked into the mythology behind Holi and there is more to it. But there's a burning woman involved. Again. Damn it. What is with Indian mythology and burning women? Anyway, I'm just going to stick with the summer explanation.)
