From bingeing on yummy gujiyas to throwing colours at each other, celebrities share their best Holi memories, as well as plans for this year...
From bingeing on yummy gujiyas to throwing colours at each other, celebrities share their best Holi memories, as well as plans for this year.
Prasad Barve
Holi always brings a festive mood, marking the beginning of the festive season and the onset of summer. It's a vibrant celebration filled with colors and joy. Today's children are quite advanced; they're taught in school about the importance of conserving water and playing eco-friendly Holi, and they adhere to these principles. Personally, I enjoy indulging in puranpolis with desi ghee and milk, considering it the ultimate treat. One particular memory stands out from my childhood: when I was 8 years old, lots of Puran polis were made at our home and my grandfather passed away that day. Despite the sorrow, our dadi instructed us not to waste a single bite, and we honored her wish. Although she belonged to an earlier era, her values remain timeless. As we approach the season's inaugural festival, it holds a special place in our hearts. I urge everyone to use water wisely.
Nikhil Nanda
Holi is a festival of love and god saving his disciples by the
incarceration of a half lion half man. It serves as a reminder of the power of
faith and the protection offered by the divine. Moreover, Holi is a time when
people come together, setting aside differences and grievances, to rejoice in
each other's company. It symbolizes the unity and harmony that can prevail
despite any divisions or conflicts. During Holi, individuals from all walks of
life gather to celebrate, spreading joy and laughter as they renew bonds of
friendship and family. In essence, Holi is not merely a festival of colors and
festivities; it is a celebration of love, faith, unity, and the eternal triumph
of good over evil. It inspires us to embrace one another, regardless of our
differences, and to cherish the connections that bind us as a community.
Namita Lal
I love Holi. Among all the Indian festivals, Holi is my favourite. I'm
from Lucknow, and my parents are from Ayodhya and Jaipur, while Ajmer is where
my grandparents reside. So, we used to celebrate Holi with music, dance, food,
homemade gujiya, colours, gulaal, balloons, pichkari, everything. The family
would gather with friends from the entire colony, and there would be dholak,
and all of us would sing and dance. That's Holi for me, and I love to have that
kind of opportunity. Even now, whether I am in Singapore or in Madh Island in
Raheja's, where I have had the best Holi celebrations for a long time with all
the people I've met. And I'm hoping this year I get to celebrate equally well.
So, it's my favourite. I love to eat all kinds of food, whether it's chaat or
gujiya; I just love to indulge in such food, and I love to play with colours.
It's a wonderful thing for me.
Jason Tham
We celebrate Holi purely for the colours, friends, delicious food and a
get together because it’s a holiday. Whenever we celebrate at our place, we
like to mix it up a little like infusing Western cuisine such as scones with
jam, avocado chips, pineapple salsa, etc. This year we'll try something new
again, still haven’t thought of it.
Gurpreet Singh
I'm really excited about Holi! It's always been a big celebration for me
and my family. We'll start in the evening with a small Holi celebration with
some traditional rituals and prayers, and then on the next day, like on Holi,
we dive into the colourful festivities. Holi is all about spreading joy and
happiness. It's a time to come together with loved ones, forget any
differences, and just have a great time. Plus, it's a wonderful opportunity to
embrace the vibrant colours of spring and enjoy some delicious food. Oh, where
do I even start? Holi is a feast for the taste buds. I absolutely love
indulging in sweets like gujiya and jalebi, and no Holi celebration is complete
without some refreshing thandai. It's all about savouring those festive
flavours. Definitely! One Holi that stands out for me is when my entire family
got together. We had so much fun playing with colours, chasing each other
around, and, of course, enjoying lots of yummy food. It's those simple, joyful
moments that make Holi so special.
Anupama Solanki
I get goosebumps when I hear about Holi. It's my all-time favorite
festival because I get the chance to eat gujiya, and that day is my cheat day.
For breakfast, we have homemade pakora and samosa with ginger tea, and in the
afternoon, we enjoy yummy gujiya. At night, we binge on puri, kheer, or
something chatpata. I must say, if you want to enjoy Holi, then Mumbai is the
best place to celebrate it. You can party at any club during the daytime with
water showers, lots of colors, and snacks. During my childhood days, I used to
start Holi celebrations two days earlier. My mother and I would start crushing
dry fruits for gujiya. Every shop in our locality would be decorated with lots
of colors and water guns. It was an amazing memory. I miss those days because for many years, I didn't celebrate Holi the way I did in my school days. I used
to hear the story of the god Narasimha devotee Prahlad sitting in the fire with
Holika, and how he was saved from the fire. Also, how Narsimha Dev killed
Hirnyakasyhap. It was an amazing story. After that, my belief increased towards
our Hindu gods. That's why Holi always excites me, and I'm eagerly waiting for
it.
Madirakshi Mundle
I don’t know yet if I am working that day or not! But growing up, it has
always been fun. It is a festival that is celebrated all over India with a lot
of fervour. I never miss performing the Holi pooja. Then of course the colours
and the food; how can I miss any of that? My favourite childhood memory is the
one with my friends and family. All of them! Drenching un-suspecting folks,
smearing colour on folks, trying to escape. I’ve done it all. Mumbai Holi is
more about Holi parties with dhinchak music and friends from the industry. I’ve
been to a few. Might attend some if I get the chance.
Sonal Panwar
Holi is amazing , and my most Favourite festival for sure after Diwali,
we keep planning for so long how we are going to dance and play with Colors. My
plans depend on my shooting schedule, if I have an extra day off I go home and
play there , otherwise In Mumbai we go out with friends. Food if in Mumbai then
I eat of course Mumbai street special, and if I’m in delhi then there’s a
buffet, full of sweets, especially gujiya. And then chaats and everything. The
one where I almost got painted in black colour all over because before that my
younger brother got painted pink by the herbal gulal. But he just took that
blue colour , and I almost had to wait for a week to remove it, but we were
children so ya it’s funny. Also we used to go on the terrace and wait for
everyone to pass by the street, we made sure no one went without a water
balloon.
Yashashri Masurkar
I like to play with dry colours. I have no specific plans this year, but
you never know! All our festivals are about victory over evil, but,for me, Holi
is about the absolute divine relationship Pralhad had with his God. Holi is
also about colors, food, and eating too. I love eating puranpoli and sometimes
gujiya too . I remember Holi used to be a big thing back then and all my
schoolmates used to live in the same area. So one year I played so much with
colours that my face had become black, and I decided to visit my best friend to
play Holi. He used to stay 10 minutes away. I reached his house, of course,
playing with colours on the way. The moment he saw me, he started
shouting-bhoot bhoot and everyone in his house started laughing and I didn’t
know what to do. His mom gave me soap to clean my face and later we had some
food but he never stopped calling me bhoot after that
Saanand Verma
I love playing Holi and savoring the crispy pua with mutton made by my
mother. I usually don't eat mutton, but it is on this day of the year that I
do. Holi holds a lot of significance because on this day, all differences are
forgotten. The fragrance of the colors brings so much positivity and encourages
people to come together and celebrate as one.
Nitin Goswami
I celebrate Holi
depending on whether I'm shooting or not. If I'm shooting, we celebrate on set;
otherwise, we plan to attend events or celebrations in clubs or anywhere else
with a group of friends. I love playing with water during Holi, as well as colors.
When we were kids, we used to enjoy smearing each other with 'pakka rang' and
planning how to outwit each other. After Holi, if the color didn't wash off for
two days, we'd make plans to apply 'pakka rang' on each other. Since my dad
retired from the CID police force, we used to live in the CID police colony,
where there was a tube well. After Holi, we'd all gather there to bathe, and
the best part was when we'd mix colorful dye in the tube well water, making it
vibrant and fun. I still cherish those memories. I love Holi because it's a
festival filled with joy, and I enjoy getting soaked in water and dancing to
music. When it comes to food, I don't have many preferences, but I do like
sweets like gulab jamun, jalebi with rabri, and malpua with rabri. I try to
indulge in something sweet on Holi, and that's how we celebrate.
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