Place any wood or flammable scrap materials on top of the log, so you have a large pile of wood ready to burn. Clean your home before the festivities.
You can tie the logs together so they stay in place vertically.
Make sure to stand far from the wood when trying to start the fire so you don’t get hurt. Also, keep a check on cables or wires around the fire, if any. Wear cotton clothes and hold back your scarves, long hair, etc. Gather friends, family, or the community together to watch the Holika bonfire light.
You can find the text for these mantras online or by purchasing a book of the Rig Veda.
Red, pink, yellow, green and violet are the most used colors. Try a test patch on your wrist to check you aren’t allergic to the chemicals in the colored powder, especially if you are celebrating it for the first time. If you have sensitive skin or skin issues, buy organic colors that don’t cause redness or itchiness. There are colors available that are made from rice flour and natural colorings. Look online to buy Holi colors for the festival. Use turmeric powder instead of yellow color. It is considered good for skin too. You may have to make sure you bathe quickly after the celebrations because even turmeric marks don’t wipe off easily.
If you have to go to school or work the next day, you can use oil or cream especially around their ears, because the marks there don’t wash off easily. Close your eyes whenever you can when someone smears color on your face. Wipe or wash your face soon after.
You will mix colored powder in the bucket of water and fill the balloons and pichkaris. Fill as many balloons as you’d like with water and tie them. Get them ready beforehand. At the end, you can empty the entire bucket on your friends for a big finish.
Elders and friends shout, “Bura na mano, holi hain” to allow people the liberty to apply color on them. It means, “Don’t mind; it’s Holi”. Or “Don’t feel bad; it is Holi”.
Pichkaris make great gifts for kids in preparation for the Holi celebration. They come in many forms and patterns. Pick the basic cylindrical ones to go old school or try the fancy ones if you like. Be ready for some naughty kids to throw water balloons on you from their terrace or home.
One Holi staple is Thandai, a traditional creamy milk drink flavored with nuts and spices. It often has some herbs that might make you feel dizzy. You may drink it after you’ve enjoyed together. Gujia or Ghughra is a sweet dish which you will enjoy. Puran Poli is a popular sweet dish typically eaten in Maharashtra. It is a sweet flatbread with a buttery taste and a stuffing of lentils, jaggery, and spices. It is eaten with sweetened milk or spicy dal curry. Dahi Wada is a tasty snack food made from lentil fritters soaked in Indian yogurt.
Be careful balancing on another person’s back or shoulders. This can be extremely tricky and requires a lot of balance.
Make sure you practice making the human pyramid before the final day. And also practice climbing down systematically without straining anyone’s shoulder or having anyone fall.
Gujia, Coconut Burfi, Rava Laddoo, or Carrot Halwa are most often cooked and shared.
