The students of Cite Universitaire organized the Holi celebrations on Sunday at Maison de l'Inde. This was the only event I came across in Paris for Holi. It is a couple of days after the actual event. But then, a celebration is a celebration.
Planned to commence at 12 pm, it had it's own "starting trouble" like we say in India When asked about the time of the event, one of the organizers sheepishly replied 12 pm. It was already 12 pm and there was no crowd. Frankly, I didn't care about the delay.
Once the music system was set up outside the Maison de l'Inde, the festivities began. Colors were applied on the forehead and then the face. Then, everyone moved outside the building. Festivities began. Colors were thrown at each other. Music started followed by dancing.
Very soon, beer bottles were opened. Some of the participants were forcefully bathed in beer. Other hesitant ones were splashed with color. The Holi spirit hit the top of the chart when one guy decided to climb up a pole which terrified the older ones while the younger ones went wild.
Water was sprayed and the music turned louder. All the popular Holi songs and the current popular Hindi songs were played. Then the entire group moved to the Dutch house situated in another part of the campus. There was more festivities there.
I witnessed the most pleasant visual of the day at the Dutch house. Everyone - Indian and non-Indians - gyrating to Hindi songs.
For more pictures of Holi, click on the following links
Quentin Tarantino shot
Dancing in the rain
Plans...
Up in the Air
belated happy holi!
ReplyDeleteand wow, that must be quite an experience-to have people of an entirely different culture embrace and wholeheartedly participate in something so very Indian like holi.
hoping for the vignettes from the occasion to be posted very soon!
oh- YOU ARE TAGGED. =D
that's all!
Thank you and same to you.
DeleteIt was fun to see different cultures having fun there.
Thanks for tagging me. I am very lazy at the tagging game. Apologies. But I appreciate the gesture.
wow, feel so proud to see how the non indians are enjoying in Holi, unfortunately in India, there are some cities where people don't care much about it:(
ReplyDeleteNot for long. With shopping malls trying to find a reason for the consumers will soon promote Holi too. Then, all of India will be celebrating it.
DeleteThe 'phirangs' playing with our 'rangs'...great post Nona! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNice wordplay. :)
Deletebelated holi ! beutiful pics with wonderful feel.
ReplyDeleteThank you. :)
DeleteIt seems to be a boogey woogey
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be a boogey woogey
ReplyDeleteWow!! those pictures are something!! :) I miss celebrating holi in Mumbai with all my old friends.Growing so reminiscent now ..Sigh!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, and a wonderful and colorful post. Wish you and your readers a most colorful life ahead.
ReplyDeletehahaha...that was good one Nona...nice to see the colors of India in paris... :)
ReplyDeletegreat pics... :)