The spell of the Holi spirit

The year is racing past and before I can sit down to retrospect, I see it is March already. This month has brought along some March hare madness. I diagnosed the first symptoms a few days ago when I felt a sudden longing to play Holi. Yeah, I guess that doesn't quite make me fit into the mad as a hatter category of people. Holi has always been one of those Indian festivals that are celebrated with great fervour and hype. But for me, the enthusiasm about Holi got over with school. I am more of a Diwali and Christmas person. For a wide assortment of reasons, I haven't played Holi properly in the last four years or so.

No, I haven't suddenly experienced a shower of good tidings. No unexpected achievements or surprising encounters have happened. There has been no impetus at all for this sudden desire. But I am still determined to celebrate Holi as wildly as I would when younger. Indeed, it seems that the Holy(i) spirit has cast a spell on me! Back in time, relatives and friends would come over to our place. There would be dry colours, there would be the more dangerous wet colours.. I remember upside-down-bucket attacks vividly. We would tell people on the road that we would just wish them a docile and quiet Holi but some pranksters would catch them from behind and there would be no escape. True to the bura na maano Holi hai spirit, no one really minded.Though washing off the colours would be a Herculean task and some traces of the day's escapades would sneak at me from behind the ears and under the nails, but it would seem completely worth it.

Holi would be a time for the family to come together, for the neighbours to get closer, for friends to have a blast. This year I am hell bent on exploiting the time to the hilt once again. My friends will get the shock of their lives when I won't lock myself up in my room on Holi morning. Get prepared guys - to colour and to be coloured. ;-)

The Little Star..

Sky watching in a solitary moment last night, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the sparkling stars.. They have been extolled, been sung and written about and are indeed worthy of all the attention. Whether they hide behind the clouds or get lost somewhere, they are very much there.. and always will be... That's more than we can say for the majority of the people in our lives.

Over the hills in the sky so blue,
Gleams a star so pure and true.
In royal company of the majestic moon,
She waits for night all through noon.

In days glorious, she fails to gleam
A mere speck, in the sunny beam.
She envies the sun, his might vast
Reign supreme, forever to last.

When night falls and the owl screams,
The world sleeps, with velvet dreams
Croons the star, in a sparkling lilt
With rainbow jewels, a blushing tilt.

All night through, she smiles and sings
Jumps about in her dazzling wings.
Her friends then dance, fingers entwine,
A constellation they make, a sight divine.

When the sun comes up, they flee for life
For the furious being, teems with strife.
Assures the star, "There's none to fear,
Again we'll shine, when the night is here...”

That sad pair of eyes..

As that sad pair of eyes kept looking at me through the window of my car, I felt a sudden pang of helplessness which refused to go away until much later. She was barely 6 years old - deprived of education, deprived of love and care, deprived of that easy going childhood we take for granted. Resigned to this fate of beggary, she is forced to spend her days waiting for vehicles to stop at traffic lights.

Some of us offer a little money, most make a face and wait for the lights to turn green. We are instructed to ignore the little 'mites', for they are more often than not feigning poverty. They are supposedly involved in chains and scams... Leaving all that heavy duty stuff aside, she remains a little girl whose childhood is nonexistent. Why is there so much disparity in our country? How on earth can anyone complain about not getting a better flavour for their ice-cream when someone doesn’t even get one proper meal a day? I am not passing judgment on anyone; I do the same. All of us, at some point of time, consider our private sorrows to be among the deepest in the world. We complain about the colours of our clothes, about the taste of our food, about the blandness of the weather. We never realize that there are people for whom concepts of colour and taste are non existent.

If we can't make a difference to the state of things, we should at least try and cut down on complaints. Count your blessings for life is too short and too unpredictable.

A new year - 2009

Well, so here we are.. in yet another new year.. the year 2009. The year begins on a pleasant note for me as it brings some well deserved set of holidays. Last month had me slaving for exams. God willing, they have hopefully gone well. Before I start anticipating the results, I am in the mood to unwind. New year celebrations escape me as they come at the wrong time. But I see no harm in celebrating a little delayed new year. So here's hoping 2009 brings us all happiness, love and prosperity. Cheers! :) :)