Holi aayi re..

Holi aayi re holi...

and like every festival it brings along beautiful memories from childhood...
Nostalgia is on its height today!!

How we would try to get up early and start filling up water balloons, prepare packs of different colors which we can carry along on our round of the complex where we were living. We would go to each house, cover them with all sorts of colors and drag them out to join us for next target - the next neighbour. And meanwhile grabbing mouthwatering sweets - gujiyan... at every other house. We being kids would be running here and there..making lots noises, trying to save ourselves from balloons seen flying in different directions. On same occassion while someone would be hiding behind the corner of the wall...a splash would be there on his head..... hahah...yes a bucket full of colored or plain water from someone's balcony :) Putting loads of color in someone's hair was most annoying yet great fun. We would go on completely smudged in colors and water.... thankfully no hard stuff like greese etc was ever used there. By afternoon when everyone would be too tired ot rather would have not an inch uncovered with color, we woudl go home and take a shower. Mom would have kept buckets full of warm water ready for us to start the long scrubbing and cleaning process. Inspite of all the thorough cleaning, there would still be traces of some pink color left in ears and finger nails - which would take few days to go away.
Then some lovely lunch and more sweets. And after that a loooong peaceful afternoon sleep.

Where is all that fun now? Friends and family are far away from sharing those real happy moments of life. Now just an email or a message from some dear one gives enough pleasure. Thats what we unconsciously wait for. This is the way we share and celebrate these beautiful festivals. The real charm has vanished. The days of preparation is not required any more. We just need a reminder from our calendar that its "once-big-day" festival today. Now we only have memories. Memories - which would also fade away with time.

Added:
A collegue of mine just put a beautiful bunch of flowers on my desk. He got it as its his bday today but he is too shy to have them there on his desk. HAHAHA... so he gave them to me. And i am happy to see such beautiful white roses and purple fill ups. I take the flowers as holi colors for me. :)

A very Happy Holi to all of you. May your lives be full of beautiful colors!!