Holi in the air! ! :-)

Holi Holi hai!!!...laughter and cheers rumbling over and over again in every nook and corner...and i am sitting alone in an almost deserted hostel of the nearly deserted college campus, fiddling with my thoughts...I always wonder...is that something new?Anyway,..I always wonder what must have made or inspired our predecessors come up with such an idea?I mean,how did these festivals come into being?..Is it a time to celebrate the manifestation of the right values in the mirror of Life with Prahlad,the epitome of goodness, coming out alive of the blazing flames,Rama defeating Ravana or Lordess Durga putting an end to the notorious devil,Mahisasur?(they say,most of indian festivals like Holi,Diwali,Dusshehra etc mark the victory of good over evil)...or is it the time to celebrate togetherness?...with everyone,almost every one...I remember ,as a child i was always in kind of a daze and also wee bit irritated to see guests pouring in en masse like never before(as i had to help mamma endlessly to serve them).But to my surprise my mamma's spirits never used to dampen.In fact, she used to be elated seeing all the relatives,friends and acquaintances together...bearing a quizzical expression on my face,i used to ask mamma,'Why is it that so many people turn up on one day only?Why cant they keep coming in lesser number but more frequently? And she would very patiently make me understand,'beta,You know why these festivals are a part of our rich culture?because the great people who lived before us knew how significant is the role of togetherness with our fellow beings and a feeling of belongingness to the world around is,in our lives.Festivals bring forth the time when we should let bygones be bygones and greet all with an open heart and celebrate the togetherness..'Guess she was right but what an irony of fate!Such values have blurred over time.Its the era of hasty endless pursuits wherein there is little time for 'togetherness' and yours truly is the unlucky one serving as an instance for the same.And poor mommy and papa,are back home with mere memories of the sweet time spent together when their beloved kids use to be around....making futile attempts to convince them,'beta,do turn up for next holi...its as colorless as it can be without you'.And the no less poorer daughter....she is learning to live in the company of solitude in a time that cherishes 'togetherness'!
Anyway ,May this Holi brings in loads of joy,giggles and celebration and may togetherness mingle with every soul like the vibrant colors of Holi!...Holi Hai!!