Happy Holi!

This week was my first Holi, and it was fantastic! Holi is the Hindu festival of color, meant to herald in the Spring. For the past 2 weeks, I have been dodging water balloons on my way home from work, as kids get excited for the celebrations.

The holiday was on Wednesday, but festivities began the day before on Choti Holi (Little Holi). In the nursery school we ended early and spent the last 20 minutes playing Holi in the yard. You celebrate by rubbing color onto each others' cheeks and foreheads and saying "Happy Holi!", but with small children it turned into smearing colors all over faces and onto clothes. We all had a great time and it made me even more excited for the following day.

Sudankar and Anshika

Chantale gets smashed in the face with color

Ankita (Although the best part is Chantale in the background)

Me and Punam (One of the teachers)

Manjeet and Bhumi

Me and Nandini

Shristi is VERY excited about Holi

On Wednesday, Rahul and I started early by filling up dozens of water balloons and positioning ourselves on the roof to toss balloons at unsuspecting victims. Later, we walked around the corner to Rishika's friend's house and got ambushed by two kids with a bucket of green water. We went back with water guns to get our revenge. When we returned to the roof, refilling our balloons turned into a full-fledged water fight between Rahul and his two friends and me and Alperna, the maid. We fought valiantly, and eventually, when the roof and our bodies were dyed a rainbow of colors, we called it a tie.

Water balloons, powdered color and spray color -- ready for action

Just a few of our water balloons

Alperna after being doused with green water

Happy Holi!

Me and Rahul

A victim of the local Holi celebrations

Under attack

The roof after our battle was finished

We were all famished after our epic battle, so we went downstairs for a special Holi lunch. Lunch consisted of some of my favorite Indian dishes: puri (puffed, fried bread), chana (chick peas) and aloo (potatoes) with halva and gulab jamun for dessert!

Chana, aloo, raita (yogurt) and halva

Puri

Gulab Jamun