Festivities of my Childhood
Festivities of my Childhood:-
I remember during my childhood, festivals were community affairs. People used to gather together and enjoy as a community. Unlike these days, when people are just smitten to their own family members during festivals, back then the whole mohalla used to gather together and celebrate festivals.
Actually my first remembrance of a festival is of Holi. At that point of time we were in Mysore (now known as Mysuru). I remember we used to visit my father's colleagues (and friends). Actually we were 3-4 North-Indian families, and everybody visited everyone's place on Holi. When we moved to Dehradun that was the time when I came to know how festivals are celebrated in a community.
Holi:
We had a playground in front of our house in Dehradun. This was the place where everyone used to gather and celebrate festivals. As a kid I remember we used to volunteer for collecting "Chanda" (a kind of crowd fund") from everyone in the mohalla, to celebrate Holi in the playground.
To be honest it was my mother's brainchild. She is a lady who loves to talk and interact with people. Hence she makes friends very easily. A year or two had passed since we arrived in Dehradun. By then she had made friends with almost all the residents living around us. She was a well known personality.
To be honest it was my mother's brainchild. She is a lady who loves to talk and interact with people. Hence she makes friends very easily. A year or two had passed since we arrived in Dehradun. By then she had made friends with almost all the residents living around us. She was a well known personality.
Holi was arriving; she had made up her mind for celebrating Holi in the playground this time. Actually everyone wanted to celebrate Holi together, but they were just looking at someone who could volunteer, take the lead and arrange things for celebrating the festival together. The arrangements could be done by collecting "Chanda" from the residents.
For the first year we kids gathered together and visited every household, told them that we would be celebrating Holi together in the playground and hence requested them to contribute whatever they wished.
For the first year the plan was that "Choti Holi" (Holika Dahan) would be celebrated together. We kids gathered money ("Chanda"), brought logs that were to be used for "Holika Dahan", brought Gulal (brightly colored powder) and Colors that people would use while wishing each other Happy Holi after "Holika Dahan". We also brought in some sweets and savories that people could enjoy.
For the first year we kids gathered together and visited every household, told them that we would be celebrating Holi together in the playground and hence requested them to contribute whatever they wished.
For the first year the plan was that "Choti Holi" (Holika Dahan) would be celebrated together. We kids gathered money ("Chanda"), brought logs that were to be used for "Holika Dahan", brought Gulal (brightly colored powder) and Colors that people would use while wishing each other Happy Holi after "Holika Dahan". We also brought in some sweets and savories that people could enjoy.
At dust when it was time for "Holika Dahan", my mother took a canister and started beating it to emulate drum beating. Hearing the noise of the canister and loud chants of "Holi Hai", people gathered in the playground. Later logs were burned and "Holika Dahan" was celebrated. After "Holika Dahan", people played Holi with Gulal and Colors. They also enjoyed the sweets and the savories. Everyone was very happy as people had celebrated the festival together. Everyone had praises for my mother. the next day as well when people visited each other's houses to celebrate Holi, the celebration of "Holika Dahan" on the previous day was the talk of the town.
Next year onwards the celebrations were done on a grand scale. Fe of the ladies joined hands with my mother. More "Chanda" was collected and Holi was celebrated for two days. On Choti Holi, "Holika Dahan" was celebrated with colors and savories. The next day everyone gathered in the ground to play Holi with colors. After the color play people displayed their talents to add to the fun. Few people sang songs, few red out their self-composed poems, other contributed by cracking jokes. The atmosphere was so much fun. After all the activities people enjoyed the lunch that was also arranged for the gathering. All the food was coked at our house by Halwais (people who cook food for large gatherings). Various kinds of sweets and beverages were also prepared for the gathering. The festivities lasted for 2-3 days and every one enjoyed it to the hilt.
After the event at the playground finished, my father's friends and colleagues would visit our house in the afternoon and in the evening. We also visited their places to celebrate Holi. People visiting our house would be treated with homemade Gujias,(famous North-India Sweet made of dry-fruits) Kanji (a kind of fermented drink made of black carrot, beetroot mustard seeds etc) and Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding). My mother cooked excellent Kheer and she was known for it.
After the event at the playground finished, my father's friends and colleagues would visit our house in the afternoon and in the evening. We also visited their places to celebrate Holi. People visiting our house would be treated with homemade Gujias,(famous North-India Sweet made of dry-fruits) Kanji (a kind of fermented drink made of black carrot, beetroot mustard seeds etc) and Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding). My mother cooked excellent Kheer and she was known for it.
Other than enjoying Holi in the playground, we boys would gather together and go from one place to other, playing Holi with whoever we met on the way. I remember I and my brother would gather Gulal, water colors etc. We would fill in water balloons as well. Once we made natural color by the locally available flower colloquially called "Tesu ka Phul" (also known as Butea, flame-of-forest, palash etc).
Equipped with Gulal, water colors, water balloon etc we would take our bicycles and go to our friend's places in the I.T.B.P campus.
We would apply Gulal & water color on our friends and burst water balloons on them. In return we would also be painted with Gulal, water colors, mud, silt and whatever was readily available. Friends would carry each other and throw us in water tanks (colloquially called Haudis). Haudis could be found near construction sites, say wherever a new house or building is being constructed. Sometimes earthen water tanks or earthen Haudis were specifically dug for Holi. Water was thrown on each other by small water cannons (colloquially called Pichkari), buckets or any container that could store water.
By the time we used to return to home we would be completely drenched and covered from head to toe in all sorts of colors including Gulal, water colors, paints, mud silt and any other things boys would get hold of. We heard tales where boys applied shoe polish, battery's black content and even hair removers.
After Holi, it took 3-4 weeks for the colors to fade away from hands faces and the body. All in all Holi was so much fun. We would wait for Holi and enjoy the festival to the hilt. Things have changed these days. I really miss Holi of my childhood.
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