HaPpY HoLi!

the damage

Events and locations, they make up majority of my life's To-Do list. On the events side, I want to participate in the Tomatina, I want to witness the migration of African wildlife across the Serengeti, I want to see the Aurora Borealis and (at the top of the list) I want to experience the real Holi. Correction, wanted to experience the real Holi; I've done that now.

This number one has been burning a hole in my conscious for years--I wanted to see India: the grandeur of the Taj Mahal, Golden Temple and Himalayas...and I wanted to see it during Holi (who doesn't want to go throw brilliantly colored powders at complete strangers? That totally beats any water balloon fight!) Thus, when I talked my friend Michelle into going to India with me, it was a matter of timing i.e. when was Holi in 2011? I really wanted to be in India for my 30th birthday, but since dates didn't align this year, I voted for Holi over my actual birthday.

On March 17th I went to work for a 1/2 day then went on a long run in preparation for the 16 hour flight. I went home, packed (I know), took a shower, gave myself a haphazard manicure and then headed to the airport. After a quick jump to New Jersey, Michelle and I loaded the enormous plane to New Delhi. Amazingly, Michelle and I had been assigned seats directly in front of each other! She was 21L and I was 22L. We watched movies, chatted a bit then SLEPT.

Now fast forward a couple of time zones and after a "My zipper is broken, I can't get my passport out!" debacle, we made our way to the Jaju Enclave in Delhi and had one day to acclimate ourselves before the big festivities began.

The night before Holi, we participated in a huge bonfire, which is in memory of the miraculous escape of Prince Prahlad who was thrust into the fire by the demoness Holika--on orders of his evil father--for worshiping Vishnu. Overall, Holi (aka festival of colors) honors the triumph of good over evil and life over death. It's a time when both man and nature throw off the gloom of winter and celebrate the colors and liveliness of spring. It's also a time when social restrictions normally associated with caste, sex, status and age are loosened --see what's not to like?

Throughout the next day's activities we received a lot of Happy Holi! powderings, learned various Indian dances, sampled food (and drugged candies) and made great friends. I managed to avoid any permanent liquid purpling of my skin, but despite the gallon of oil massaged in my hair I couldn't escape the green splotches in my hair. I admit I was a little distraught that I'd have green hair in all my trip photos and that it was the nastiest color of them all (why not pink or purple?!), but if anything, It helped me really learn Holi's common phrase: bura na mano, Holi hai or "don't feel offended, it's Holi".