Monday 17/3/2014

What a great start to our week in Delhi, it is Happy Holi Celebration Day and after an introduction briefing with the co-ordinators and other volunteers, the celebrations began. 

We celebrated alongside the family, in the front courtyard of our homestay pelted with coloured dye, water balloons, some sort of fluorescent spray foam, and buckets of water from all directions while dancing around with intense drum music from a local lad.  It was great fun and what a mess all over ourselves.

We all had a huge challenge washing ourselves by bucket and scoop afterwards, and the dye is not easily removed, my hair is now pink and a teal colour, after already being washed.  The clothes we wore are destroyed.  Granddad has told me, “three baths and two showers and it will be fine”

A bit of background to the celebration:

The colourful festival of Holi is celebrated on Phalgun Purnima which comes in February end or early March. Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'bad'. The colourful festival bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. On this day, people hug and wish each other 'Happy Holi'.

Holi celebration begins with lighting up of bonfire on the Holi eve. Numerous legends & stories associated with Holi celebration makes the festival more exuberant and vivid. People rub 'gulal' and 'abeer' on each others' faces and cheer up saying, "bura na maano Holi hai". Holi also gives a wonderful chance to send blessings and love to dear ones wrapped in a special Holi gift.

The afternoon was spent getting to know the other volunteers from Canada, USA and Australia. Five of whom are travelling up to Daramasala with us on Sunday.

The food here is really tasty with chickpea and vegetable curries and some dishes which I’m not sure about yet. Lots of nice flat breads to soak up the juice. A very nice change of diet. Breakfast was a yummy potato type flatbread with a yogurt dipping sauce. If you are given a cup of tea it is very sweet and milky, have been asking for black no sugar and its really nice though strong in flavour.