HOLI MEMORY- A TALE FROM CHILDHOOD

   ( Above picture is of Flower Fields,San Diego, clicked when we visited it in 2018)

Reminiscences of Holi: 

I had been planning to write about my Holi experiences since long but kept putting it off.

This time I made up my mind to write about it.

It was the late fifties when I was in my middle school.

Place : Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh

We were residing in a Railway colony which was a small world in itself.

Our activities for the HOLI used to start with organising for Holika Dahan 

( Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu , was killed in the fire) . 

 There was an open place in our colony earmarked for it. A couple of days before Poornima ( Day of Holika Dahan), a Pooja was conducted at the site and initial collection of fuel ( Wood, cow dung cakes and other combustible materials) were collected and placed there. Then the task of gathering more fuel was taken over by the Bachcha Party (we) under the guidance of a few elders. We used to go house to house requesting for donation in the form of fuel or cash. Most of the households were very enthusiastic to donate wood pieces, dry  branches of the tree or cow dung cakes. Some of them used to get irritated by our pestering due to our over enthusiasm to maximise our collection  and used to shoo us away. Some even used to abuse us also, but such households had another thing coming ( for example we used to steal their wooden fencing or  cow dung cakes kept in the open , under the cover of  the night.). 😆

Bigger the pyre, the better it was. A measure of our capability.

Finally, on the full moon night, we used to sneak out from our house (of course we had a tacit permission of our parents) around 2 AM and collect around the pyre. Last minute collections of wood etc. were heaped on the pyre. The topic of talk used to be whether the height of the pyre this year was more than that of last year.

Our local priest used to come around 4 AM and, with a full blast  of Conch (Shankh)  and bells , Arati was performed. 

And THEN the pyre was lit accompanied by our full throated shouting, singing and dancing. 

Some overly enthusiastic children had to be kept away from the raging flames.Then of course, sweets consisting of Gujia , Malpua and laddoos were devoured by us. By about  5  AM we used to disperse to our respective houses. We were looking forward to a busy day , the next day. 

Our parents would coax us to sleep so that we can get a few hours' rest. But ,with our adrenaline running high , could we fall asleep ?

The next day was the day of playing with colours.

The quadrangle of the Railway hospital was the starting point. A big cart, driven by bullocks, was made ready. On it , 3 to 4 huge drums were kept and  filled with water. Then colours were mixed.One of the popular colour was from Tesu (Palash) flower which gave natural saffron color. There were other colours too for variety.  One of the drums was fitted with a  hand operated water pump ( like the one used for extinguishing of fire) . A couple of  adults used to man this cart with huge water guns (Pichkaris) in their hands.

With a huge shouting of ' Holi hai' the retinue led by this cart and followed by many revellers and bachcha party equipped with our own stock of dry colors and pichkari used to start from here and would stop near each house, meet their residents, wish them holi greetings, throw colours on them , accept sweets ( For which there used to be great scramble) and then proceed to the next house. Usually one or two members from the house would come out with us to join the bandwagon. So, after each house visit, the caravan used to become bigger.
Residents in some houses were equipped with their own arsenal of dry colours and pichkaris with watercolours and there used to be friendly 'fight' between them and our caravan.After a few minutes of 'exchange of colour wars ' there used to be a ceasefire, so to say, and a friendly exchange of Holi Milan (friendly hugs) and we were treated to the goodies offered by them.

This routine would go on  till about 80 to 100 houses were covered. By that time it would be almost 1 PM and the retinue would come back to Hospital quadrangle. A few groups would be busy in preparing Bhang (Bhang is an edible preparation of cannabis originating from the Indian Subcontinent) . We bachha party would be chased away so that some adults can enjoy their drink in peace. I remember some guys behaving strangely under its influence, singing aloud, laughing ,crying, swaying ,in essence, well, having a jolly time.( So it appeared to me).

We would be back home with  our clothes full of colours and dirt and have a bath.I am sure  my mother would have had to scrub us thoroughly during this bath. 

After this we were treated to  a special lunch with many sweets and savouries. We used to get a very good sleep, what with a stomach full and heart light.

By evening we would be ready after putting on  brand new clothes and again go out to meet friends who were also dressed in their best.

As per the convention no colours were used in the evening. 

And so, the fun would come to an end.

That night each one of our bachcha party would go to sleep with dreams of the next Holi.