Sunday, March 04, 2007

Holi Hai!

Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam receives a Holi tika. Image from TOI

I haven't been in India for the celebration of Holi since 1994. Last night one could spot Holika bonfires pretty much every few hundred meters on the road ... and a crowd from the sub-division, all properly doused in water and color, was going around house to house this morning. They didn't stop at our place -- this is a house in mourning. No festivals to be celebrated publically this year. I was quite thankful actually.

I'm sure the niece and nephew lived it up in Delhi.

A snippet from a classical bandish did come to mind, though, focusing on the playfulness of the child Krishna.

Kanha bhar bhar marey, pichakari ... kahu ko janey nahi deyt ...
... gail mein rokey thado wo kanhayi sabanko, laakhan gari deyt ...


Kanha (the god Krishna), fills up and sprays water -- why does he not let us pass? ... and there blocking the road that Kanhayi curses passersby lakhs of times!

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