Holi

Holi is the 'festival of colour' that is celebrated in India marking the advent of spring...

People colour themselves and others with coloured powder and water...














Others get water guns and water balloons and target friends and passer-bys...






































Its quite beautiful in its own way...

I haven't played Holi in the last two years...

I stopped enjoying it a couple of years ago...

But every year friends would show up at my apartment building and threaten to come upstairs and mess up the house if I wouldn't go and play Holi with them...

Holi used to be a whole day affair for me...

Leave home at 10 am...

Go around the city meeting friends and colouring them up from head to toe...

Laughing, singing...

Teeth chattering...

Its also the day that "Bhang" is consumed in large quantities...

(Bhang was first used as an intoxicant in India around 1000 BC and soon became an integral part of Hindu culture. In the ancient text Artharvaveda, Bhang is described as a beneficial herb that “releases anxiety”. Bhang preparations were sacred to Gods, particularly Shiva. One of Shiva’s epithets was “Lord of Bhang” as he is said to have discovered the transcendental properties of the mixture....Lifted from holifestival.org...PS - I say its like pot)

I remember having bhang in various forms over the years only on Holi

Bhang Thandai (Milkshake of sorts), Bhang Samosa, Bhang Mithai (sweetmeats)

We'd spend the rest of the morning singing songs on the streets until we'd be dry enough to find someplace to serve us lunch - yes we're still coloured...

Lunch is always entertaining on Holi...You eat too much...drink some beer and pretty much waste yourself away...Ahh the joys of being young...

But this year, I've managed to lock myself up in my room...

My DVD player and I had an affair all day...

Not quite holi but I've treated it like a 'holi'day instead...

Happy Holi everyone...