{"id":57981,"date":"2014-03-18T07:27:21","date_gmt":"2014-03-18T13:27:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wend.ca\/?p=57981"},"modified":"2020-06-21T05:36:39","modified_gmt":"2020-06-21T09:36:39","slug":"celebration-color","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wend.ca\/?p=57981","title":{"rendered":"A Celebration of Color — Holi Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s that time of year again… the time when Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland and people around the world dress up in green and drink lots of beer. <\/p>\n

And, like a bad Irish Canadian who grew up listening to Celtic pub music and drinking draught, I cringe at the thought of celebrating with thousands of my non-friends by squishing into a city block or pub with a bunch of sweaty, drunk, green people. <\/p>\n

My plan was to spend a quiet evening away from the festivities, and perhaps explore a new SV hiking trail by taking an evening run.<\/p>\n

As luck would have it (call it the luck of the Irish if you will), I accidentally stumbled upon a group partaking in this year’s Holi festival, which happens to be at the same time as the St. Patrick’s Day this year (very rare).<\/p>\n

During Holi, people celebrate the banishment of the Indian demon Holika<\/a> (evil) by running through the streets and throwing dry paint at each other; it happens on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna, which is the beginning of spring. <\/p>\n

My first Holi festival was in 1997<\/a> (Orchha, India) and yesterday, when I saw a large group of people running around throwing paint at each other in a park, I knew what was happening and thought I’d quietly pop over for a quick peek and take a couple of pictures. <\/p>\n

I didn’t get off too easily. Turns out I had friends at the event and within seconds of entering the gate to the park was doused in paint. <\/p>\n

Some would argue that this is worse than sitting in a pub with a bunch of drunk Irish revellers who are singing old Irish folk songs. But, I think it is better. Happy Holi everyone!<\/p>\n