Holi – Festival of Colour
I was very happy to hear that my stay in Nepal coincided with Holi, better known as the Festival of Colour. I geared up and headed out.
Certainly, the festival brings smiles to everyone. After all, there is nothing like acting as a child again, drenching whosoever dares to pass near enough to you. Being on the back of a motorbike, racing through the alleys of Bhaktapur receiving water from all directions was something that I won’t forget soon. Women pouring buckets from windows, gangs of kids on rooftops squirting down on you with water guns, not to mention the ground assault of water balloons.
I think it’s fair to say are one of the only Westerners there, our motorbike was targeted more than others, but this was something I relished. The color as well was great. It was the norm to see people walking past you with faces that looked like they had face-planted into a pool of color. Reds, blues, yellows, and purples were everywhere you looked.
I was told a little about the reasons for the festival. Firstly it is seen as the coming of spring (hence the colors) and better weather. Secondly, it represents good overcoming evil and this was most definitely indicated in the smiles, laughs, and joy of everyone involved. Ages from toddlers to the elderly all joined the fun.
The only downside, and something which I was stupid to do, was that in the midst of it all my phone and camera broke. Quite simply, do not take your electronics with you, and if you must ensure they are safely sealed in a Ziploc bag. Luckily this did not detract from the fun I had during the day!
