My third weekend here is “Color” Festival. I think some background is needed. Most jobs in India are 6-days a week; off only on Sunday. Maybe to recompense for some of this, there are many festivals, which vary from region to region. These can provide days off. Lucknow is fortunate in that there population is essentially split between Hindu and Moslem, which means more holidays.
The “Color” Festival is a three-day holiday, Friday to Sunday. Everything is closed, including the institute where I can usually even on Sundays. The holiday is a lot of Halloween and a bit of Thanksgiving. One the Friday, the kids come out and can douse anybody they can catch will colored powder, although there are also heavy-duty squirt guns and water balloons. I have seen some of the people in the street absolutely covered in “color” many of these perhaps against their will.
My hosts at the hotel/apartments that I stay at have offered to take me to what is essentially a family party. Whenever you meet someone you dab some of the colored powders on their face and so forth, which should explain the first picture. Fortunately, Ajay stopped on the way there to get me a disposable hat, otherwise I would have ruined one of my caps.
Here is a picture of some of the people in the street, very well colored.
As you can see, my hosts are already well colored before I get there. Everybody is happy to see an American and there are some questions; they are quite happy to be talking to a scientists. This is a middle class extended family, which has a small sewing shop in the rear. Everybody speaks English pretty well.
There is a lot of dancing, the music is a sort of Electric Rap in Hindi, many of the people seem to know the words for each piece. Probably not much different from a party in the States.
Some neighborhood kids show up with a double ended drum. They make a racket and eventually get some money and move on. A guy shows up with two monkeys and one is allowed to climb on me.
And there is food. I will try to talk about the food once I am bettered versed on the subject. The food is good, and is generally only lightly spiced (I get warned not to eat this or that, I usually taste a bit but make sure that I have a drink in hand). I have to be careful, as dairy products and uncooked food can have me worshiping the ceramic throne in pretty quick order. The rule on fruits is for me to eat anything that is covered (bananas or oranges) but not something where I eat the skin, as that may have been washed in water that can have the same effect. The party also has something that is seldom seen in India: ICE. This drink is alcoholic but no one is drinking too much (I have a couple of beers but avoid the whiskey).
This is my first opportunity to see the Indians “letting their hair down” (having a good time. This is a joyous people, and the festivals are an opportunity to play. I hear there are about 12 fairly major festivals during the year, and many lesser ones. “Color” is one of the big ones; the “Light” Festival occurs after I leave.
I find when I get home that the colors are not easily water-soluble. Two showers after I get back to my apartment and much is still on my face.