Five ways NOT to celebrate Holi.
"Black then white are all I see in my infancy.
red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me.
lets me see there is so much more
and beckons me to look through
to these infinite possibilities."
~
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| Over 80,000 attendants at the 2013 Festival of Colors At Sri Radha Krishna Temple, Spanish Fork, Utah, United States |
Smiling faces smeared in a pallet of colors; an amalgamation of men, women, and children in the euphoric outburst of floating colors; an overdose of sweets and delicacies; loud blaring music systems playing classic dance anthems and finally the happy forgiving embraces!
Holi, the grand festival of color invites you to take a dip in festive fervor and celebration - to experience how a drop of color can give meaning to the empty canvas of our lives.
The ability to give meaning lies with our own ability of imagination.
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Holi is perhaps one of the least religious of all Hindu festivals.
It is widely marked and celebrated all over India, originally, observed as an agricultural festival, marking the onset of Spring season.
Holi is surrounded by many History and Rituals, but for most Hindus, Holi has become another opportunity to ignore the societal norms, disregard the essence of the festival and instead bask in callous merry-making; in general to "let loose".
So, while Holi is round the corner, here is a quick list capturing
Five ways NOT to celebrate Holi this year:
1. Water-Water Everywhere: India is a country where we give more weight to tradition, religion and rituals over logic, consciousness and wisdom.
While no religious books or manuscripts have mentioned pumping gallons of water on a single day just to get your neighbor or friends wet, we have devised this obnoxious practice of wasting water in the name of celebration. There can and are other genuine ways of celebrating the festival of colors, without wasting an already depleting natural resource.
While no religious books or manuscripts have mentioned pumping gallons of water on a single day just to get your neighbor or friends wet, we have devised this obnoxious practice of wasting water in the name of celebration. There can and are other genuine ways of celebrating the festival of colors, without wasting an already depleting natural resource.
A gentle reminder and request to ring in your ears while you dip yourselves into the pool of water and shout Holi Hai! (It is Holi): refrain from wasting water.
Let us decide consciously and for once,
chose awareness over stupidity.
2. Rang Barse! Alcohol Nahi: Think about it - Amidst the cheerful celebration, overflowing colors, and the ecstatic waves of laughter, we indulge in intoxication.
We desire to overdo, overdose at all moments. The want of doing more and experience something different and crazier than that is occurring around, attracts several dry mouths towards the poisonous alcohol - that which snatches away the sanctity of the auspicious day.
We desire to overdo, overdose at all moments. The want of doing more and experience something different and crazier than that is occurring around, attracts several dry mouths towards the poisonous alcohol - that which snatches away the sanctity of the auspicious day.
Sure, Krishna was intoxicated at Mathura while splashing colors over Radha, but it was a drug greater than we humans can ever indulge in. Let Holi be the festival of sharing Joy and Love.
So while Holi might or might not be declared as a dry day in your state, make the choices wisely.
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| Choose love - not alcohol. Be human. |
3. Speed Thrills, But Kills: As the festive color from our faces fade away, so do several innocent intoxicated lives.
Every year around Holi, several youths are killed or seriously injured due to overspeeding accidents.
While police forces and other organizations are stipulated to curb and regularize peace and order during such events, shouldn't it be our collective responsibility and decision to behave sensibly behind wheels?
A moment of recklessness or rashness can cause you or your dear ones the most precious gift - Life.
Every year around Holi, several youths are killed or seriously injured due to overspeeding accidents.
While police forces and other organizations are stipulated to curb and regularize peace and order during such events, shouldn't it be our collective responsibility and decision to behave sensibly behind wheels?
A moment of recklessness or rashness can cause you or your dear ones the most precious gift - Life.
Think!
Do you want to paint yourself only in shades of blood-red?
 | ||||
| Do not bereave us this Holi.
4. License to Molest: Holi gives an opportunity for many to bask in open obscenity and guilt free molestation.
Women experience a strange "freedom" in an otherwise restricted Indian society and tend to participate rather aggressively in the festive spirit, making them vulnerable and easier targets to eve-teasers. There might be open vulgarity due to the phallic theme surrounding Holi's history and rituals. Often strange practices of hooliganism are commonly observed. The festival of colors is dubbed as an excuse to vent out the "latent heat" and indulge in physical relaxation. While a blame game is futile and unnecessary here, getting physically comfortable needs to be entirely a personal choice. A common call shall reach out to the hearts of the revelers to respect everyone's privacy instead of seeking cheap thrills in the name of merry making.
Your momentary pleasure or thrill
can cause long periods of distress and sadness to others.
5. Bura Na Maano Holi Hai! (Don't be hurt, Its Holi!): Our ego fuelled anger is violent enough to cause turbulence to anyone who comes near.
While Holi celebrates love, color, festivity and virtues like "victory of Good over Evil", we seldom forget the hidden meanings, instead, we direct our energy towards settling grudges and controlling the world around. Every year, during Holi petty issues and quarrels quickly escalate to heavy clashes among revelers - that use brawn over brain to resolve matters. "Colorful" street fights are a common scene. The eternal quest to prove one's opinion as correct or superior than the other seldom triggers such war of words that often take an ugly form.
Let us embrace it out!
Give peace a chance.
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[Bonus] The Bholenath's Bhang: A story surrounding Holi revolves around the great Hindu God - Lord Shiva: Shiva is known to devote many hours in solitude and deep meditation. Once, Madana - the God of love, decided to test his resolve and appeared in the form of a beautiful nymph. Shiva recognized Madana and became very angry. In a fit of rage, he shot fire out of his third eye and reduced her to ashes. This is sometimes given as the basis of Holi's bonfire. Corollarily, to celebrate the blissful meditative states experienced by the great Shiva, people in many parts of India indulge in the usage of Bhang - an edible preparation of cannabis. While Indian laws strictly prohibit the consumption and possession of cannabis, exceptions are made around the festival of color. Laws are bent, recipes are passed around and a great collective tripping is witnessed! Bhang Thandais's and Bhang Pakoras are prepared and sold all across inviting even first-timers to experience the unknown highs of life. |
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