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The walk from work has been a mundane routine for me for the past many years. However, I trudged along the road cautiously today hoping to be able to predict where they would spring out from. Especially since Holi is just around the corner.
I noticed it was just another day, when I saw this little boy walking home from the bus stop dressed as a school kid. Or so I assumed. A group of teenage boys walked towards him from the other end carrying a heavy pail of water balloons. As they approached closer, two things were clear - the boy was panicking and the teenagers had a mission in mind. Just as he lowered his head and walked faster, hoping to ignore and walk past them, the balloons came pelting down one after the other, both drenching and hurting him at the same time. He ran home crying.
A few houses down the line, I saw this teenage girl playing Holi with her little brother in the courtyard of her home. A group of men appeared out of thin air at the gates with excessively colored faces and hands. Still standing at the gates, they aimed the trash at the kids until they screamed and called out their mother. The horrified mother came to their rescue and mouthed quite an earful to the goons but they somehow thought it was humorous to aim yet another egg at the girl during the exchange of words.
I observed these incidents as a passerby but the one thought that kept resonating back was how Holi - the festival of colors also meant showing a basic level of respect and civic sense towards all age groups.
A life full of colors is what everyone desires on Holi.
And yet somehow, every year I witness the same rampant behavior of mature individuals ruining the fun for the vast majority.
Lack of respect and civic sense turned a festive time into life-long nightmares for others.
Isn't Holi meant to be the same for everyone ? Isn't Holi a symbolization of togetherness and love for friends and family alike ?
Then why does it instill this fear in me and the others ? Why does it bring along an unexplainable feeling of discomfort hoping for the festival to end soon and quickly ?
Why do such disturbing events happen every year ?
**** This post is a creative take of true incidents witnessed and experienced by a close friend.****
****This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.****
This world has good people, not so good people, the spoilers and cruel people.
ReplyDeleteThough there are more good than bad at this point of time, there is no doubt that they are losing out.
The good people, the quiet majority, has to make the difference and bring the change
Holi like life has many shades including a few shades of grey
Absolutely true and aptly stated. The good people need to bring about a change and fast.
DeleteCompletely endorse your view.
ReplyDeleteI have myself experienced such ruthless behavior in my childhood, and scars are still so fresh.
Hope things change for better in future!!!!!!!!!!
Tell me about it Swati. Isn't it so unfair that a single or group of individuals ruin the fun for the others.
DeleteYes I totally agree with u, when I was 20 me and my friend were returning home on a scotty. After playing holi u cant really recognize peoples face. Two boys were on another bike they slowed down and then suddenly left in a high speed I didnt understand what happened cos I was driving my friend sitting behind me said that the boy touched her. I was so furious but there was nothing I could do.
ReplyDeleteAnanyaTales
I totally understand the anger, Ananya. Being helpless in a situation like this definitely makes us feel less powered at that moment. :( But don't worry, the universe definitely conspires against those who attempt to wreck happy times for others.
DeleteFestivals, as celebrated earlier, are no longer the same, and Celebration should not be or can;t be forced down. This has to be taught to kids by parents.
ReplyDelete