22 of March Hindus in India and Nepal celebrate the most important festival: Holi. The festival marks the start of spring and the triumph of good will. I was very happy to receive pictures on the 23 showing how the kids were having fun in the new place. I have never experienced the festival but for sure will go there one day. How could I miss this? Exactly.

(Pictures have not been enhanced.)

About the festival: The night before Holi starts with bonfires.The main event is the next day when people who “play” Holi pain each other’s faces and bodies with colored powder or throw colored water at each other from buckets and water balloons. Almost everybody participates in one way or the other and people are having a lot of fun.

Colours: Traditionally natural dyes are used such as turmeric and sandlewood paste mixed with extracts of Neem, Haldi and Bilva to give the pasts color. Unfortunalty these days dyes and synthetic chemicals are often used  which are more easily mass produced and significantly cheaper.

Holi ends in the late afternoon and everyone goes home to wash up and change clothes. The day is usually ended by visiting friends and relatives and exchanging sweets.