Holi Day Photo

Holi is the Indian festival of colour. This spring festival is celebrated by people flinging coloured dyes and water at one another. This year Holi fell on March 1st, while I was staying at the Durag Niwas guesthouse in Jodhpur.

I'd been forewarned about Holi and bought some new clothes. I joined in the celebrations at the hotel after they'd been underway for a while. Everyone was delighted by the appearance of a new victim. I'd spent weeks avoiding Indian tap water but I was led to a large barrel of water, where I was invited to dunk myself. Then my wet face and arms were smeared with coloured dyes. The guests danced with the folk from the Durag Niwas, while being sprayed with hoses and dyes. There was even a photographer from a local paper who turned up, but I've no idea if the pictures ever appeared anywhere. Another part of Holi appears to be ripping people's clothes, which is why the image below shows me with a torn T-shirt.

The Durag-Niwas guesthouse was one of the best places I stayed in India. It was friendly, had great food, and a courtyard that was perfect for lazing around and reading. It was a much-needed sanctuary after a run of dodgy hotels and I was quite sorry to leave.