Happy Holi 2014! - 17 Mar 14

Happy Holi!

Today is the day when everyone goes crazy here, the main day of Holi. It is one of the two biggest celebrations of the year, it is the day adults and especially children are looking forward to, in Vrindavan it is the big ending of a week of naughtiness, colour madness and lots of fun!

There are many festivals around the world which are somehow similar to Holi. Just like the carnival in other countries, the basic origin of this celebration is welcoming the spring. Here, it also is a celebration of the harvest. In India, everything gets connected with religion in some way but the root of this festival lies before that time and more with nature than with religion.

Holi is a festival that gives you the possibility to do what you don’t normally do. You are allowed on this day to cross the limits of your daily social behavior. You can get dirty, in colour, fully wet, dance around, make others coloured and wet and get totally crazy.

For those who come here and want to enjoy this, it is mostly a freeing experience. It is like being a child again for a day with no worries on your mind about what will look okay, what you are allowed to do and what would make your clothes or home dirty.

Yes, getting your home dirty is something that just happens on Holi. It is normal and nobody complains about the colour everywhere. Something that would be unimaginable for the rest of the year and in most other countries I know.

We have invited the children of our school, as always, and we are now just back from the colours, the coloured water, the flowers, the fun. It was great once more and you can see the pictures here.

I wish you all a very happy Holi!