HOLI Ankleshwar Di.

"PC,PC,PC", they all were shouting, much to the inconvenience of my parents. I was changing into old clothes as fast as I could and rushed outside. Within seconds I was pushed down by the crowd of my friends and for the next couple of minutes I laid still, till I was allowed to move. I could only stand once the storm had completely passed by and I was covered in innumerable colors of Holi. It was difficult to identify who all did it from the colorful faces and already soaked clothes of my friends. There was no trace left on my face or my body which would help someone identify me. It would have been difficult for me to identify myself at the point in time, even if I was in front of a mirror.



Before you rush to any conclusion let me rest the matter by informing you that the above introduction is of a Holi day celebration during our childhood days in the ONGC colony of Ankleshwar where we used to stay. No one was spared on this particular day. Everyone was coloured from top to toe in the Holi colours. This is how Holi was celebrated in those days. One by one we would go to everyone's house, get our mate out of the house throw him down and color him black and blue and maroon and purple. Ours was a big gang and it would take about 3 to 4 hours to bring out everyone on the Holi day.

Once we were done playing Holi with the traditional colours, the next step was to find out who all can get a two wheeler. Everyone used to partner someone or the other who owned a two wheeler. Luckily, I was always allowed the two wheeler from my dad. The destination was Narmada river at Kabirwad which was about 25-30 kms from our ONGC Colony. It used to be a wonderful ride always. Together we used to go on about 10 to 12 two wheelers with minimum two riders on each one. Reaching Kabirwad would take another hour or so. We would take one halt for having some junk food and cold drinks and then reach Karbirwad for enjoying the bath in the Narmada River. It used to be an amazing experience and we would only return when we were thoroughly tired and there was no energy left. Hardly ever we reached back home before evening.

Holi in Ankleshwar was so much fun in those days. It seems like just yesterday and all the scenes of ONGC colony still are very much alive in my memory. Remembering the Holi of old today on the Holi day 8th of March 2012 is nostalgic. Today we celebrated Holi in our office and the way some guys were hunting in groups took me back to my old memories of Holi. Here's wishing all my old friends from Ankleshwar a very Happy Holi. Those days will never come back but the memories of those days have been stamped in my mind forever.