Holi Festival..Festival of Color

Today was the Holi Festival..Festival of Color...It is the time of year that summer is here and love is in the air..Love of family and friends and community..There is music and parades of people on the street singing and dancing and running around sharing the love among everyone..There is an array of different colored powders (gula) that people will paint you with and fill water balloons with and throw on cows and people as they pass by..It is a celebration of oneness..there is symbolism in the colors meaning that we are all of love and peace no matter what color we are..It is a beautiful festival full of meaning and consolidarity.

We went into town today to eat Thali at the Hotel RRR...There were loads of locals painted in colors of purple and blue and orange and red and pink..It was such a beautiful sight..you could see groups of men colored in beautiful gula... hugging and walking arm in arm while laughing and playing on the street..There were all ages from young to elderly all colored and smiling..I walked into Bombay Tiffany Bakery to buy bread and the elderly man behind the counter was covered in purple..He asked me as I was leaving if he could paint my face and I said yes..he reached back behind the counter and pulled out some purple powder and placed his thumb print on my forehead and cheeks and smiled..It was beautiful..As we walked across the street I saw a group of about 5 college aged men walking towards me covered in hot pink, orange, and purple..I made eye contact and they smiled really big..A few seconds later I felt a huge embrace around me and I was surrounded..The oldest looking one had come over and given me a huge hug and embraced my face in his hands and before I knew it I was covered in purple..Vonya jumped out of the circle to miss the paint..They were so loving and happy..The treated me like family..It was beautiful..he gently caressed my face with his hands and painted my cheeks and face..than he rubbed paint on my hands and arms..They were all so happy and loving..than they hugged me again and wished me well..It was beautiful...As this was going on another gentleman was painting Susie up and down very loving and carefully..I looked over at her and we just smiled..This is what God is about...This love..this beautiful selfless love..I thought to myself..these are my brothers..these are my family..I love these people..I can't explain it..I just felt like at that moment the Indian people were letting me know I was part of their family...They were part of my family...This is my home...Susie and I have been gloating all day..The color on the bodies of the Indian people is just a fraction of the color that is in their hearts..All day we walked around and when people passed they would just look at us and smile really big..I know in their hearts and in my heart we were both thinking..Hello brother..sister..mother..father...you are loved..My heart opened up today and I feel the whole world jumped right in.


Tonight I went to get a chai at the coconut stand and a local elderly man just started talking to me..We sat and talked and just enjoyed the night air..It was another simple conversation in Mysore as the stars above twinkled in the night sky..There is so much going on all over the world but I'm safe here in Mysore..talking to a man under a tree having chai..I am so blessed and it is great..I have my family here and my family in America so no matter where I am I feel whole..Even in my feelings of home sickness I have a brother..father..sister..mother..to talk to here in beautiful Mysore...I am home here and I am home in America..I am home in my heart..I am at home in the heart of the Indian people..I am home.


Om Shanti Shanti