Amaya’s HOLI

“Daddy, I am taking five hundred rupees from your purse,” Amaya said. I was busy at my office table. Amaya is my fourteen-year-old daughter. 

“What for?” I inquired.

“I have to buy colors for the Holi festival. Day after tomorrow is the festival. Also, we have a party in our colony. Many of my friends are coming.” Amaya replied.  

Immediately, I remembered some points of caution. “Amaya please be careful. Please buy organic colors only. Don’t use paints. A lot of adulteration is there in colors. Last, before year, you may remember, my friend’s son almost lost his eyesight because of these colors.” 

“Only organic colors are available, everyone is very careful,” Amaya said. Amaya continued “Parents are also supposed to join. Hope you will not miss”. 

When I met Amaya in the evening, I asked her “You are supposed to attend the mathematics examination, next day to Holy. That is the final qualifying examination. What is your plan and preparation?”.   

Amaya said “Yes I do remember. I prepared well”

Amaya went to her room. But I was swamped by thoughts of earlier experiences of the festival of colors and fun. From childhood I would wait for this festival, to play without inhibition. I remembered starting with simple splashing colors onto the group, to violent drenching people into colored water. It used to continue till mid-day. A lot of singing, dancing used to follow. A few times performances were also organized. As I grew up, most of the men and adults went after beer. Many times it used to end up in a mess. Gradually our group lost the enthusiasm. 

As I got married and became a responsible father, the celebration was limited to close family members. My wife was conservative to this culture of the crowd and unbridled coloring the other people. Until we watched movies, we never doubted our group revelry. All along it was innocence and mischief. She felt that some perverse elements physically misuse this occasion with wanton behavior. My wife’s view dampened the spirit of festivity.

Years progressed, the color of colors changed. There is adulteration in colors as well as in the spirit of the festival. I wish my skepticism would be limited to me and the purity of the festival would be restored. 

Now I am working with an international company and I am hard-pressed for time for leisure and entertainment. Though beer is a tempting idea to entertain a few friends on the occasion of Holi, I am scared of being called to office duty. 

On the day of Holi, early morning Amaya was ready to go to our colony club-house where the celebration would take place. 

For a moment, I was over-excited. I said to Amaya “Be careful with colors. There are some bad elements in this colony. Come back for lunch. Don’t extend beyond 1 PM. You should prepare for your Mathematics examination. Your aim should be to qualify for the Engineering course.” 

I continued “If some people ask for me tell them that I am not at Home”.  

“Just one more last request”, I was aware that I already crossed the borderline of Amaya’s patience. I could feel it from her face. But I could not hold and finished my words “That boy Mohan, please keep him away. He is one of the bad elements in our colony.” 

Amaya lost her cool completely. She threw away the color packet onto the floor. “You are cynical. You doubt everyone, everything. Did you realize how many constraints, did you put on me. You remembered my mathematics class, You remembered bad effects of colors, you remembered boys touching me.” 

“This Holi is supposed to be once a year festival, for which everyone looks forward. Yes, I accept, you are concerned about my career, my health, and my boyfriend.” 

“And you already experienced your school life, young age and you learned life lessons. You want to thrust on me all those lessons. I also want to learn from my life. If I am slipping too far please help me.”         

I realized that my warning went too far. Amaya is a sensitive girl. I went near her and pleaded. “Please my little girl, sorry, go and enjoy yourself with your friends. I may be wrong. I am getting old” 

She refused to be softened. I picked up a few colors for myself and asked Amaya, “let us go. I will also play with you, It is a long time since I played Holi” saying so I splashed colors onto her. I switched off my office phone. I gave a few tickles to my favorite daughter and we both walked out.

Vallinath Mangalampalli