Today on the day of the holi puja as I sat down to create today's painting my friend suggested using a palette knife and creating fan like floral images to stand out against the geometric background. While I started out intending to use her suggestion, I realized what came out was not exactly her idea but rather an image of holi that has been with me since my childhood !
Apart from the colours used in having a blast on the day of the holi festival, my other memory is of gathering along with all the tenants of my building in the compound for the holi puja. For about a week or so in advance the teenage boys in the building would be involved in the task of gathering dried twigs, leaves a few logs of wood, and of course lots and lots of dried grass. All of these would be piled together much like the image I have used here and then bricks and small stones would be placed surrounding these materials.
In the evening at the designated the holy hour all the members from all the households would gather around the 'holika' (as it is called and the burning of the said holika is called 'holika dahan') A small puja would be performed, mantras chanted, flowers would be offered and then the holika would be lit. Then everybody would offer prayers, flowers,coconuts and of course the all important 'Puran Poli'. After this prasad or part of the offering would be distributed to everybody.
I will never forget the excitement I would feel at the time because it meant that the very next day all of us kids would be allowed to go completely wild and drench each other and smear colour on each other and generally play in the water something that was just not allowed any other day !!
What are your memories? do you remember the smell of fresh Puran Poli ( or any other sweet that was traditional to you ) being made or do you remember being enchanted by the dancing flames of the holi on fire?
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| Holi series -Purple Oil on canvas, "9 x 6" inches © 2011 Nayna Shriyan |
In the evening at the designated the holy hour all the members from all the households would gather around the 'holika' (as it is called and the burning of the said holika is called 'holika dahan') A small puja would be performed, mantras chanted, flowers would be offered and then the holika would be lit. Then everybody would offer prayers, flowers,coconuts and of course the all important 'Puran Poli'. After this prasad or part of the offering would be distributed to everybody.
I will never forget the excitement I would feel at the time because it meant that the very next day all of us kids would be allowed to go completely wild and drench each other and smear colour on each other and generally play in the water something that was just not allowed any other day !!
What are your memories? do you remember the smell of fresh Puran Poli ( or any other sweet that was traditional to you ) being made or do you remember being enchanted by the dancing flames of the holi on fire?
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