HOLI

So last year I participated in an amazing activity called Holi Koli at the Spanish Fork Krishna Temple. I went with friends, had a blast, got filthy, and have never felt more like a hippie in my life! Needless to say, when I found out that I would actually be in India (the place of Holi’s origin) for the festival I nearly had a heart attack. I was so flipping excited! I couldn’t wait to connect with the Indian people the crazy way in which I connected, and have this ethereal feeling, that I had last year in Spanish Fork. Let me make one thing perfectly clear: Indian Holi, in the south at least, is nothing like the aggrandized event put on at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork.

The day started off by putting coconut oil all over my body… (who’s body? My body For Piglet). We were told that if we didn’t put on oil that the colors would not come off of our skin and it would burn us. I bathed in that stuff, man!

We then went to our neighbor’s were these little girls invited us to play Holi with them. Notice, here in India, it’s called playing Holi. They were so sweet and taught us how the Indians do things. You actually buy these little squirt tube things and mix the colors with water and make a dyed water guns. It’s pretty fun!

Then after we played with our neighbors, some of the branch members came, with the pretense to take us (Jaci, Sam, and Amy Drake) on a Holi adventure, and brought a lot of Holi spirit with them. They immediately attacked us… and a couple of our not so enthusiastic comrades. It was hilarious.

Sam and Amy Drake, ending up being pansy, backed out of going with the branch members in their biker gang. I, of course, jumped on the hottest bike there and we went all over Vizag! We went to different branch members’ homes and played Holi in front of their houses. Sooooo messy, but so worth it.

We had one of the bikes fall down in transit. No one was hurt and the bike is fine. There was only a couple of scrapes. No worries because, like a prepared boy scout should, I had my first aid kit with me and we clean/ bandaged the scrapes in less than 2 minutes and then took off again.

We ended up at Rushikonda beach where we washed off in ocean. They wouldn’t let me wear my bathing suit… or swim. Some of the Indian logic I don’t understand, but after 5 minutes of arguing with them I gave up and stood in the worst spot possible (where all the waves were breaking and sand was getting everywhere in my jeans).

It was such a fun day! All of it turned out to be really nice and just so much fun. I have a pretty bad sunburn on my face from the beach and part of my face is still yellow, but it’s worth it. I had the funniest time playing Holi in India.

With colorful love from India,

Jaci