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Sheer joy Smearing colours on one another

It is time again for the Festival of Colours.

With different communities making the city their home, the colours of the city change during this time of the year. Holi, the spring festival, is celebrated every year by the North Indians with gusto.

Hema Behn’s stock of pitchkaris and colours were almost sold out clear two days before the celebrations. Her store, ‘Aashirwad’, in Mattancherry, has water guns selling from Rs. 20 to Rs. 300. And she categorically states, “the gulal (colour powder), watercolour powders that we have and use are free of chemicals. We are against the use of any chemical colours that cause allergies and affect the skin.” She smiles and says she has some water balloons too for the D Day, today. And getting ready for the day were a group of young boys who have been practising the famous Amitabh Bachchan song, “Rang barse…” They would sing the song at the functions got up for the festival in Mattancherry, where everybody will gather to play with colours.

Says Nandu Agarwal of the Agarwal Samaj, Mattancherry, “we are having the Holi dehan at the Ram temple in the evening before the Holi day and Holi Milan the same evening.” The Holika will be burnt in the evening symbolising victory of good over evil. The flag that’s put up on top of the wooden twigs is removed symbolising the safety of Prahalad over the evil intentions of the demon Hriyankashypu,” says Maharaj Ajit Kumar Pandey, explaining the traditional and religious tale behind the celebration.

Holika will be burnt at the Durbar Hall grounds the day before Holi by the North Indian Association of Ernakulam. “We will play colours from nine onwards in the morning till noon at the Ladies Club hall in Panampilly Nagar on Holi,” informs Shaym Sunder Agarwal, the president of the association.

He says that almost 400 to 500 people from different North Indians communities gather to play holi. “There are a lot of migrant workers in Kochi who come for the celebrations. We serve snacks, sweets and thandai. On Sunday there is a function only for the members of the association at our Charitable Trust building in Katrikadavu.” And ask him the speciality of Holi celebrations and he smiles back saying, “thandai, the sweet refreshing drink of course.” Mr. Agarwal goes on to share the recipe of thandai.

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