New Delhi, India – March 2, 2018

One by one, I inspected the merry band of intrepid travelers assembled in the lobby of Claridge’s Hotel.

• Fresh white cotton kurtas? Check.
• Coconut oil on skin and hair? Check.
• Appropriate footwear (plastic flip-flops or throwaway shoes)? Check.
• Cell phone cameras sheathed in clear Ziploc bags? Check.
• Water guns? Check.

Armed and ready for action – it’s time to play Holi!

Yesterday, traveling through the teeming streets of Old Delhi, we got a taste of what was to come, as kids playfully pelted us with water balloons and locals gently streaked our foreheads and cheeks with colorful paste.

Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, end of winter, victory of good over evil, and a good harvest. Its origin goes back to a Hindu legend: The god Krishna, with blue skin, was in love with fair-skinned Radha. Krishna’s mother suggested he color her with paint- and the rest is history!

A national holiday, Holi is a festive day to meet, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. Anyone and everyone is fair game: man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, friend or stranger. It’s a great equalizer.

No different than the warning I got back in 1979, we were warned that fair-skinned foreigners were favorite targets. Although it’s contrary to my philosophy, I acquiesced and arranged for our group to play Holi in a controlled environment, rather than in the streets with the rowdy locals.

We joined a busload of other fair-skinned travelers – from Brazil, Europe, and even Kalamazoo – and disembarked at the end of a quiet street in the government district, which was relatively empty on this national holiday. Everyone started slowly and politely, sprinkling and tossing handfuls of colorful, organic and washable (or so they claimed) powders on each other.

It was fun, though a bit too tame for me. But when the organizers hauled out big water jugs tinted with colors, things got much more exciting!

I could try to explain it with words, but this video tells the story much better!

 

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p.s.  I brought back powder for a backyard party next spring. Would you like to play Holi? Let me know, and I’ll send you an invite!