Holi, a festival of colours has different ways to bring joy in different stages of life. I can think about water guns in childhood. My mom filled a tank of colourful water first thing in the morning. We”d wake up, gobble our breakfast, fill our pichkaris (water guns) and storm out! The ritual of preparing holi special sweets and snacks days in advance, waiting until the festival to actually enjoy them. Celebrating Holi was always my favourite festival.
As I grew older it became more about celebrating it with friends and cousins. By the end of the day we were dead tired of all the running around and scheming to put colours on others. I guess I am thinking a little more about it this year as I just got back from India. Like me are you also missing celebrating the festival with your family and friends? As I’ve been away from my home country for a couple of years now. Here’s how I like to keep my spirits up during this festival.
History and context
Since quite a few of my readers are not Indians, it’s worth mentioning a bit about the history and context of Holi. Holi is one of the biggest Hindu festivals in India. It has many stories, mythological, religious and cultural connotations attached to it.
History
We can find evidence that Holi festival has been celebrated in Indian subcontinent as early as 4th century. The festival even has a mythological connection and how far early that goes is always debatable. The festival has a strong connection with Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. It is believed that they used to play holi as a young couple and that tradition is still followed in Vrindavan and Braj region in North India. There is mention of the Holi festival in texts and Hindu scriptures like Puranas (Narada Purana) since 4th century. There’s also evidence that during Mughal empire the festival was adopted by then rulers and was celebrated as Eid-a-Gulaabi.
Cultural significance
Even though commonly known as the festival of colours, Holi is much more than that. The day before you play with colours, is called Choti Holi or Hollika Dahan. One reason to celebrate it with a bon fire is to commemorate the onset of spring and harvest. People gather around bonfire and roast small stalks ofr wheat or other grains from their harvest. Another story goes to mythological story of triumph of good over evil when lord Narsimha vanquished Hirnakashyap and his sister Holika to save Prahlad. Every region in India has a story that connects to the festival.
The next day is when you play with colours. The tradition of playing colours with friends and family is centuries old. It’s been more significant for couples as told in stories of Radha and Krishna. Today it’s also said to mark the occasion to reset and renew ruptured relationships.
How to celebrate holi when you are away from family
This is going to be the third year when I’m celebrating holi and I’m not in India. Including the pandemic years it’s been a long time since I played a proper holi at home. I’m not sure when or if actually I’ll ever be able to do that. Since I am just back from India, this year makes me a bit more nostalgic. If you are also like me a missing home during this festival, here’s a few ways you can make it a fun time even outside India.
Explore Holi events in your country
Due to Indian Diaspora spread across the globe, the festival of Holi is not new to pretty much any county. People across the world are not only familiar but also excited to be a part of the celebration. There are many Indian communities living in almost every county in the world keeping the Indian traditions alive. You should be able to find perfectly planned Holi events in your city or area. Some of these require you to join in advance, some require you to purchase tickets or be the club members.
It’s worth exploring through the community or social media what are the popular events. Considering the busy life in cities in India as well, this culture is quite common among urban population. Keeping the holiday schedule of the country in mind most of these events will be planned for a weekend. it gives a great opportunity to not only celebrate the festival but also meet new people and form new friendships. As I mentioned it’s been a couple of years and for some reason or another I haven’t been able to join such event. Maybe next year. 🙂
Invite friends over
For whatever reason if you are not able to join any event, you can still invite your friends over for a fun meet-up. It can be a day filled with fun games and activities or simply sharing stories of your fond memories of the festival. The festival of Holi is known for the tradition of thandai, you can experiment with some cocktails. 🙂 Depending on the resources, your convenience and whether condition you can choose to make it an overnight or a whole weekend get together. This can involve cooking together, playing colours, making and eating sweets and snacks together. There are plenty of Indian snacks and sweets that become extra fun to make when with a group of friends. I know it can be a nostalgic reminder of my childhood, when we helped our mom prepare these delicacies. In no time it could become a memorable event for you and your friends. 🙂
Decorate and dress up in your favourite festive attire
You can’t help but feel festive if you decorate and dress up. Bring out all your colourful cushions and other decorative pieces. Let your home tell the story of the festival. Surrounded with colours and dressed up in your favourite festive attire, you’ll miss home a little bit less. 🙂 I shared a bit about my favourite festive outfits in my earlier post.
Cook / order your favourite festive delicacies
it’s no secret that fragrance and aroma are the best carrier for memories. Add taste to that and you can bring back your special memories and make many new ones. I guess that’s how traditions start, don’t they? I have the fondest memories of making and eating Gujhia. Since I’ve not had it in a long time, it’s my favourite sweet in the whole wide world! Which ones are your favourite? Why not make some of those and drown in the taste of the festival?
Have a bon fire night
Lastly, you can always have a bonfire night (weather allowing ;)). surround around a lit bonfire and roast peanuts if nothing else :). The sound of crackling fire and the company of nature alone or with friends is always a special experience.
Hope these tips gave you some ideas to have a happy time away from family. Don’t forget to be careful about the country specific sensitivities and safety aspects. Have a Happy Holi!
P.S. I managed to do a mini celebration with friends as home.
Until next week. Ciao!
