A Word of Caution about Festivals (Holi)

Nick-H

No... it seems to be the consensus of posts here that it is best observed from an upstairs window --- especially for women.

carlaeb

Hmm...

Best thing to do is if you have Indian friends, hook up with them and go to family friendly Holi festivals. Many residential areas, parks and companies organize Holi festivities where you can enjoy the food, the drinks , and playing with paint.

I highly recommend that tourists and women do NOT try to venture out into wild street celebrations. People are high and they are caught up in crowd frenzy. Everyone is free game, women are major targets.

It can be fun if you are in a small, safe group, but I don't know how you'd do that unless you have some Indian friends to play with.

qwertyjjj

I was told by a local the best thing to do is cover yourself in vaseline on all exposed skin areas and buy some cheap clothes.
Then you can join in the fun.

mridula

Qwertyjjj the extra bit of caution is definitely needed for females. But in your case probably this will do the trick.

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Mridula

Travel Tales from India

qwertyjjj

Ther guy said the gulao powder was better than the more chemically paint stuff but I'm not sure whether you mix it with the water or not. Oh..also put some cocount oil in your hair otherwise you will havesome nicely died hair for a few days

Nick-H

Yes, times change. The behaviour of crowds seems to change for the worse.

India is not the sweet and innocent place that it... probably never was anyway.

carlaeb

Celebrations are much more tame in Goa- this isn't Delhi! But I'd like to happily report that we played Holi today and though we attracted a little more attention, the majority of people we met were extremely fun, polite and even gentle with their paint application. Granted we played in the morning when the kiddos were out on the streets, and we played in a neighborhood in a family friendly area where there were lots of women and kids around. Still we got absolutely soaked and covered in color. It was a blast, and next year I'm going to bring my own water gun to get revenge. The best part was the car loads of people driving by and attacking each other.

Still there was one young man who took some liberties and grabbed my breasts while applying paint to my face. It wasn't any big deal because he was young, we were in public- not in a crowd and we had lots of family around. Still, it happened. I gave him a swift kick in the behind, but I'm sure he felt it was worth it to show off to his friends. Anyway, it was certainly a minor incident compared to all the fabulous people we met. One of the best days I've had in Goa.

The advice I gave earlier was to play Holi by all means. Don't miss it. But find a family friendly place to play. Lots of parks and residential areas have nice Holi celebrations.

atala

sorry to spoil the fun (or the memory of it at this moment)...
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org .in/node/30304

carlaeb

Also asbestos in the paint. And the bon fires and firecrackers pollute the air. I like Holi, but I'm forever amazed how much Indian people pollute their own environment.

Sorry, that sounded strange. I meant "indian people" as opposed to "indian businesses" or "indian industries" all of which I expect to pollute their environment with toxins because they care more about profit. It's surprising to me when the people do it themselves.

jaws

This time we enjoyed holi in Paharganj.
On 10 th mar evening in steet wood burnig then music started for about 1 hour.Mainly good music and young dancer showing their boliwood dance.
Loved it untill someone took wire out from main pole and light gone so was early night .
Even in steet on 11 th mar we came on road after 16.0 and it was ok. So we went to iskon and enjoyed evening there.
First time roads in delhi looks empty and not many people or vehicals on road.Only food stalls were open so we had good veg food in ISCON.

sonalee_222

hi ,

I am a male, and understand, the feelings of a foriegner in india.

i have myself not played holi, since i was 7 years old. Largely, due to my family teachings and culture. All coloring chemicals used are harmful to your body.

Holi , by the way, was started in india, long time ago, but somewhere down the lane, lost its original charm, why its been celebrated for.

I can confirm, that local indian girls, stay indoors, possibly with family members, just to be safe than sorry!!

so, i request all females, of all shapes , sizes, colours and races, to stay indoors, and check the national indian tourist website, for the list of government holidays, and plan your travel!

If, there is one thing i would like to change staying in india is holi !!

why !! here is what i feel!

1- holi accounts for a big toll on the environment as lots of trees are burnt down.

2- it accounts for national holiday, and further adds to list of long indian holiday calendar, which is not necessary.

3- Womens respect be regained in all forms.

4- holi festival impacts our economy, quality of life and our tradition.

If the above means, satisfying the peoples urges and emotions sentiments, by playing holi, then , excuse me, i dont want holi to be in india.

Some one or myself has to think of filing a public intrest litigation popularly known as PIL in the high court of india, regarding this matter. That is a solution!

Sorry, about the absolute discomfort to our tourists!! i promise things are changing and are changing for good!!

regards and cheers !!

Namaste

brishti

i will certainly request our honourable railway ministress, mamata di to look into the matter.
or... should it be arundhati roy ?

hmm - perhaps both - one needs all the help they can get i suppose.



:brishti

Chala jata hoon

i live in Calcutta, and i have never heard of such things happenning... i heard everybody drinking Siddhi in the afternoons and doing funny things...
but it is generally advisable to stay in a group of atleast 8-10 during Holi and wear clothes which you wouldn't be too sorry to throw away.

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Nick-H

Would that be the funny things that result in the unwanted pregnancies?

nayan

Not really. Its more like expressing extreme emotions. if you were laughing when you drank the sidhdhi, you will continue laughing(for no reason)for the rest of the afternoon - until the effect wears off.

That kind of thing.

(As far as I know - its navratri which is associated with the unwanted pregnancies, not holi).