Holi - The Festival Of Colors!

The Festival of Colors

Nicknamed ‘The Festival of Colors’, Holi is a riot of bright colors interspersed with tasty food and local liquor (the potent ‘Bhaang’ made from cannabis). It is celebrated all over North and Central India. The highlight of Holi is the fun-filled game of spraying bright colors and throwing water balloons. People come dressed in cotton whites so the attractive colors thrown on them stand out in right earnest. Playing holi, as it is called, is thoroughly enjoyable and completely exhausting. Obviously, enormous meals, parties and feasts follow. The sheer variety of delicious food makes Holi a source of gastronomic delight for the people.  

The Legend

Holi officially brings the curtain down on the bitter winter and is a joyous harbinger of spring. The festival has a number of popular myths associated with it, the most popular one being of the demon king who tried to set his own son on fire because the little boy refused to believe in the nonexistence of God. In the story, the demon king places his little son in the lap of his sister ‘Holika’ (thus the name ‘Holi’) and sits them both on a pyre, which he sets on fire. Miraculously, the little boy lives on even after the fire burns itself out.  

Festivities

Holi is celebrated on the full moon night in February. Festivities begin well in advance with people hoarding gulal (colored powder) and ‘pichkaris’ (long hand-held water-shooters) which will be filled with colored water and sprayed on all who dare to peep out of their houses on the eventful day. People quench their thirst with ‘Thandai’ or Bhaang. Cannabis which is used to make ‘Bhhang’ not only gives a high, it also excites the appetite. No wonder people are all set to eat like their life depended on it. 

Bring on the food!

Holi is a time when the kitchens in India are hustling with increased activity. One of the first dishes you’ve got to sink your teeth into is the ‘Gujjia’. This is nothing but deep fried sealed pouches of delightful milk solids enriched with nuts and dried fruits.  Another fantastic item that is simple to make but absolutely delicious to eat is the ‘Puran Poli’ or chapattis (flat breads) with a scrumptious filling made from dal and Gur (jaggery). Warm ‘Puran Polis’ dripping with clarified butter is nothing but pure, unalloyed bliss for the taste buds. Light and fluffy, you can tuck into four or five of these in one go and still have place left over for the famous ‘Shrikhand’ and Halwas (sweet dishes made from milk). If you think Holi is only about sweet food, think again. There is the famously crunchy ‘papri’ to bite into. These thin sheaves of fried flour are just what you like to munch when it’s not quite time for lunch.  

Holi comes once a year, leaving behind happy and colorful memories of wonderful celebrations and sumptuous food. Once the festivities are over, the heat of the summer sun begins to make itself felt.