Holi-day in Delhi by BMs

Sonica Rajkumari

Holi- the day some people look beautiful because of colorful gulal on their faces and some you won’t even able to recognize because of their ghostly faces. This is the day when you get mixed responses. Some are eagerly waiting for the holi, some try to avoid it and then there is another class of people who like to see people playing holi and keeping themselves aloof from it.

I like to play holi with my friends that too only for one day not like playing holi for 2-3 days as who is gonna wash cloths and scraping skin and hair daily? This holi which was on 27^th march I did not want to play it at all as I did not have my friends over here and also in my office my colleagues had put holi on me for two days. I did not have enough energy to wash clothes again and scraping skin so that color could wash off.

But because its holi and a day off, even if you don’t play holi atleast you should do something to make the day especial holiday, right? And for me it became extraordinary holiday because of a small Bishnupriya Manipuri’s get together kind of picnic in a farmhouse near Chhawla. Approximately, 40-50 people including children came on the occasion as many didn’t turn up because of various reasons.

When I entered I was happy to see the adults playing decent holi simply by putting gulal on the cheeks and forehead, at least these they did to me I don’t know how they played within themselves. Kids were having more fun with their small guns running here and there in whole ground and their moms were also kind of care free about their kids as we were out of the city and were in farmhouse.

We had normal breakfast bread, butter, jam and egg. Right after having breakfast some started preparing for the lunch like cutting vegetables and all. Every age group were having fun with their respective age group mates. All uncles sat together started playing cards and a glass with them. Aunties sat together chit chatting while cutting the vegetables. Married women busy in finding the location to click their photographs and update on facebook. Kids were busy in playing with their guns. Young boys in group sat a bit far away dancing on the music playing in their car with full volume and having glass with them. Now left me I did not find anyone of my age. So I made myself busy in giving a hand in cooking. The main cooks were Jishnu and Rajkumar uncle. They cooked rice, allu ki sabzi and one more sabzi when I asked the name of the sabzi they told its ‘laabra’ (all vegetables mixed together), salad and the last item which had ruined the whole menu - the salty daal which did not get boiled at all even cooked for many hrs.

Atlast all had to eat with the sabzi available that is laabra (which was too spicy), allu and a little salty water of the daal. The lunch was not that bad the way I am sounding, the sabzi, salad and chawal were tasty except daal. But who cares about the picnic food as far as one had fun in get together and see it as an opportunity when BM people meet together (even if you don’t know each other) in better environment far away from the chaotic city.  

Moreover, Holi is the festival when you enjoy just seeing the colours and mirth of the whole environment.