Holi, I will never miss you again...

I played Holi after 12 years, i don't even remember when and with who i played, may be it was with a few people from my building, and it was just not that memorable. But this year it was extraordinary. Not that i hate Holi, i think it's a fun festival full of revelry and recreation, it's just that over the years i have been grossed out by the prospect of puttingthose vibrant yet popularly known to be harmful colours on my face and hair. So i just stayed away.

In fact, i distinctly remember one Holi, years ago when i was a kid, i locked my self in the bathroom for the whole day. My family and friends knocked on the door outside convincing me thatthey wont' put colour, but it was too hard to believe them so i didn't step out until lunch, when everybody had gone home. Sounds funny?? obviously i was 10-years-old then.

Any who so this year was different, among other things, I actually had fun with colours and water this Holi!!! i hadn't decided to play Holi until the previous evening when my newly-married sister and her husband invited me over to their place to celebrate the festival with my other cousins. I obviously didn't agree, and was the first one to back out, i outright rejectetd the invitation.But had to eventually give in after everybody persuaded and forced me to go and Enjoy!!

So on Monday morning dressed in my old clothes (specially for Holi) i went to her place. When i reached most of them had already started playingseeing them i almost turnaround to get back into the auto and zoom off to the station. Something inside me, asked me to let go of that "I wanna run away" feeling and boldly entered the premises.

Well, what happened next was just FUN!! My cousins put colour on me, and a bucket full of water was emptied over me. The next thing i knew was that i was putting colour on people and pouring water on them. For the next two hours i was like a child in Disneyland! Of-course all the play was accompanied with music including the evergreen Holi song Rang Barse.... Bhajjiyas, Thandayi and jalebi added thier grace to the occasion.

On my way back i realised that if i had turned down this invitation, what a mistake it would have been? I even felt that for all these years just by being scared of colours i was barring my self of that one day of the year from experienceing the reverly that India celebrates.

It's a festival that brings out the child in you, parents, uncles, aunties and even grandparents make the most of this festival and live upto the popular adage - Bura na mano holi hai!!!

Hence, i have decided that from now on i will play Holi every year.
Hope you all had a very very Happy Holi!! just like me :)