#KhulKeKheloHoli Eco-friendly Holi

It is said that the hair should be oiled before leaving the house and playing with colors and so I too oiled my hair and made my kids do the same before they went to play with colors. It was the year 2014 and there was a water shortage too in our building due to which we had to use the well water only. I told my neighbors that instead of using the well water that is full of germs and the kids could get skin diseases had we to use that water. We all sat together and decided to have a no-water holi and all agreed to our decision.


At 8:30 a.m., I went down and saw that the building people had made all the preparations like colors filled in thalis and buckets too filled only with color. It was exciting to see their enthusiasm though we were not playing with a drop of water. I told them to fill balloons too only with color and we did the same and kept it in a small drum. The ladies got together and decided to make sweets and lassi and there was bhaang too available but it would not be served during the celebration so that kids cannot get to drink it.


The kids and other building people arrived in 45 minutes and we started throwing color on each other. We had fountain guns too filled only with color and it was fun to see all the clothes that were white were now red, green, orange and purple. The ladies played holi among themselves and we men got together and were having our own fun with the kids too. I made sure that the kids don't hurt each other with the balloons and they mainly only used the fountain gun to splash color on each other.


We all kept playing with color and drinking lassi to get more energy to play more. That day my father-in-law too had joined our celebration and he too started throwing color on us which made me even more happy. Holi is the best festival and though we celebrate it only for few hours, those few hours are remembered all our lives. We color each other which symbolizes that nobody is different and all are treated equally. It buries our anger and worries and makes us all come together and share few happy moments with each other.


I would like to wish all Blogadda members, a very happy and safe holi. Do save water and only use color to celebrate this festival.
 



I’m pledging to #KhulKeKheloHoli this year by sharing my Holi memories atBlogAdda in association with Parachute Advansed.

School days were the best day #KhulKeKheloHoli

Over 30 years have passed for this incident but still it is in my memory as it was one of the first ever Holi I celebrated in school. We were in tenth and it was our last year in the school. I and my friends had planned a surprise for the other classmates and we bought many colors and filled them in packets, fountain gun, and few balloons filled with colored water. I was so excited but scared too as we did not want the teachers nor the principle to watch us else we could get a warning.



We hid behind the gate and waited for the boys to leave the school and when they all came out, we began sprinkling water on them with the help of the fountain gun and they all started running away from us and we kept running behind them till the end of the lane and they kept screaming so much. It was really a joyful and exciting moment as we kept chasing our friends around the well and we finally reached the garden and then the real moment started where our other friends brought a huge drum filled with colored water and we tried to throw each friend into the water. We were completely full of colors and drenched in water that we couldn't even recognize who was who. I was too pushed into a drum by four friends of mine who caught my hands and legs and threw me into the pool of water. I dragged my other 2 friends too and we kept splashing water on each other. The gardener scolded us for playing Holi in the garden but we dint listen and kept playing for hours till it became 1:00 p.m.


When we finished playing Holi, we enjoyed eating hot jalebis and drinking lassi in the garden where there was a stall and then my friend clicked our pictures where we posed and made faces. The pictures came out really well and I have still stored them in my albums. I show them to my kids and they keep asking me that they haven't ever celebrated Holi like I had celebrated. Those days were really memorable and it was more of a fun festival rather where it was only full on masti and leg pulling. Nowadays, I rarely get to see people having so much fun like those days and people are conscious with regards to their skin as well. I believe that Holi is 1 day which we should enjoy the most and hence I wish this Holi is celebrated the same way like I celebrated it in my school.

I’m pledging to #KhulKeKheloHoli this year by sharing my Holi memories atBlogAdda in association with Parachute Advansed.

A message for my sister #MemoriesForLife

My message: https://memories.hdfclife.com/message/XA_Y6UDRQHz2Y-fzTUishg==



My mother died when I was barely 6 years old and my dad remarried. y step mother never gave me motherly love and it was only my sister who cared for me and loved me till her last day. It brings tears to my eyes when I remember my dear sister as she is no more staying with me and living in Australia. As I am writing this message for her, I remember.

Dear Rumaldine,

    This is your younger brother Richard who wants to communicate with you and I know you are listening to me sitting miles away from me. Hope this message reaches you when you are in the pink of health.

    I am writing this letter to you as I really miss you and though we often talk over the phone and send letters to each other, I've never got the opportunity to thank you for all the love and care you've given me all these years.

    I still remember how you looked after me when I was small and today I want to remember all those beautiful memories once again and especially that day when I was sick and you took care of me when I was ill. I know that it was difficult for you as your husband never liked me and he used to scold you for entertaining me in your house. That day you did not bother about anything and took care of me, fed me and made me lie in your room without caring about the scoldings that your husband would give you. You used to always make my favorite lady finger dish and feed me with your own hands and I really miss those hands whenever I have this dish at my home. You just were a mother like figure to me and you never made me miss our mother and gave me undying love. You had your own kids but still you cared for me always. It was because of your love and encouragement that I could complete my education and today whatever I am it is because of you and only you.

I know that you will have tears in your eyes as you read this but this is my love for you. Love always my sister Rumaldine....

                                Your brother
                                Richard

I am glad and so proud today that I could share this message with me sister and I'll be sending her this message today via email. I just remember each and every moment I spent with my beloved sister and God Bless her always.


Share your #MemoriesForLife like I’ve done at BlogAdda for HDFC Life.

First words "Dada" #MemoriesForLife

My message for my daughter: https://memories.hdfclife.com/message/dPHnxn_Gkg7IvCEYnDpjcg==


 This scrapbook has my emotions intact and it is one of those moments that can never be recreated. These are few moments of life when you experience new changes and one such moment is the time when my first child came into this world and changed my entire life. I became a dad and this feeling was so different. I had been planning all the 9 months while my wife was pregnant and when my child came into my hands, her first yawn and smile was so pretty that I just captured the moment in my eyes.

I still remember her cute fingers that held my finger tightly as if she was asking me to stay with her forever and be with me as she considered me her savior and friend more than a father. I held her hand tightly and kissed her small fingers promising her that I'll always be with her and be like a friend to her more than her father.

The above message for her implies the love I have for my little daughter who is a grown up girl now but I'll always treat her like the five month old kid who first uttered the word "Dada" to me instead of "Mama" for her mom. May it was because I sue to keep making her say "Dada" all the time and her mother used to bet that she would only take her name when she starts talking. I won the bet and am always proud that my girl is a "Dada's daughter" and she has always been the apple of my eye. I have always been a protective father and not a dominating one which is why my daughter has never hidden anything from me, may it be the teacher's scoldings, her remarks in school for not doing her homework, or her first boy friend, she has always shares those secrets with me and her mother used to always get jealous of our bonding which is why we used to tease her always. I laugh when I remember those days but they were the special moments of my life which I will remember till my last breath. Her one word "Dada" is the best best moment for me and it brings tears today to my eyes when I remember her saying it for the first time. I wish I had a webcam that day to capture the moment but I've recorded the moment forever in my heart.


Share your #MemoriesForLife like I’ve done at BlogAdda for HDFC Life.