JOIN USToday is Holi and Bangaloreans are all set to add a dash of colour to their lives. While some are busy shopping for new clothes, others are making elaborate plans to celebrate the festival with their friends.
Cultural associations across the City are also organising get-togethers and programmes to make the most of the festival.
Many Bangaloreans prefer to keep Holi a family affair and will celebrate the festival in the customary way. PC Jha, a member of the Siddharth Sanskritik Parishad (the Bihar Cultural Association), says that his family will celebrate Holi according to tradition.
“A day before the festival, we light a small bonfire which is called holika dahan and eat traditional food like badi bhath. The next day, we play with colours or gulal and meet our friends and family. Some of the specialities that we prepare during the festival are malpua, puri, and pulao,” he says.
He adds that the association organised a cultural show — complete with a lavish spread — for the occasion. “The festival falls on a weekday this year so we celebrated it on March 24, which was a Sunday.
We had a cultural show by some local artistes in the evening. This was followed by a traditional dinner, consisting of signature Holi dishes. It was a small get-together, something that we make sure we organise every year,” he informs.
Most of the youngsters in the City are planning to have a great time playing with
gulal.
“We will either play on our college campus or at one of our houses. I love Holi — it is one of my favourite festivals. I have called a couple of my friends home for dinner and will make them taste some authentic Rajasthani cuisine like dal, bati and churma. There will be Holi specialities like dahi bade and halwa. Every Holi, we buy new clothes and it is a customary to exchange gifts as well,” says Aditya Singh, a student.
Kamal Kumar Jha plans to spend the festival with his family and close friends. “Holi is celebrated with much fanfare in our family. We exchange gifts, play with gulal and wear new clothes in the evening. Many friends come to visit us and we spend some time with them. Bhang, thandai and desserts like malpua and raspua are also a must on Holi.
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Kuhu Sen, a professional, adds, “We buy different types of colours and make sure that each person in the family is smeared with abir. Any festival calls for good food and the evenings are specially dedicated to eating the special Holi cuisine.”