Holi in Jaipur - Festival of colors

One of the things I wanted to experience while in India was the Holi Festival.

Holi celebrates the start of spring and happens at different dates every year in March depending on the lunar calendar. Depending on the region the festival can take 2-10 days. On the first day, it only becomes interesting half an hour before midnight.

Burning of Holika

Then a bonfire is lit on the streets in the neighbourhood to burn a straw representation of demon Holika. The story goes like this (copied from Wikipedia):

King Hiranyakashipu, the father of Prahlada, was the king of demonic Asuras and had earned a boon that gave him five special powers: he could be killed by neither a human being nor an animal, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither at day nor at night, neither by astra (projectile weapons) nor by any shastra (handheld weapons), and neither on land nor in water or air. Hiranyakashipu grew arrogant, thought he was God, and demanded that everyone worship only him. Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, however, remained devoted to Vishnu. This infuriated Hiranyakashipu. He subjected Prahlada to cruel punishments, none of which affected the boy or his resolve to do what he thought was right. Finally, Holika, Prahlada's evil aunt, tricked him into sitting on a pyre with her. Holika was wearing a cloak that made her immune to injury from fire, while Prahlada was not. As the fire spread, the cloak flew from Holika and encased Prahlada, who survived while Holika burned. Vishnu, the god who appears as an avatar to restore Dharma in Hindu beliefs, took the form of Narasimha
– half human and half lion (which is neither a human nor an animal), at dusk (when it was neither day nor night), took Hiranyakashipu at a doorstep (which was neither indoors nor outdoors), placed him on his lap (which was neither land, water nor air), and then eviscerated and killed the king with his lion claws (which were neither a handheld weapon nor a launched weapon).

 

Day 2 - people on the road are already coloured 

On the second day, we joined some other friends and family at an outdoor venue and smeared each other's faces and bodies with colourful powder. As that was not enough we threw water and used water guns and soon streams of coolers ran down on us. Best time to get some new colours and look for your next victim:-). In between, we danced, we sang, we laughed and had a lot of fun.

Sankalp & Chris

Janya & Chris

Chris & Siddhi

On the way home & to the shower

It only took 5 rounds of shampooing my hair and body to get most of it out but some (especially yellow and pink) remained for a couple of days.

The coloured powder is available at stalls everywhere - in small, medium and big bags. Or also at the supermarket just with a fancier packaging. I got my colours in Rishikesh on the street.

Rishikesh: fast and slow, loud and calm

After a 9 hour train ride with many stops I arrived in Rishikesh - the yoga capital of India. I walked to the main road where I took an autorickshaw to the Tapovan neighborhood (near Laxman Jhula) and checked-in to Divine Lakshmi Ganga Hotel and rested for a couple of hours. 

In the train - 3C

In the afternoon I checked out the neighborhood and wanted to cross the suspension bridge - unfortunately Laxman Jhula was closed for reconstruction. Instead I kept on my side of the Ganga and booked river rafting for the next day. Took some convincing not to be looped in with an absolute beginner group. After this was fixed, I walked back through the bazaar to the main road. At VJ’s giardino I sat down for dinner looking out over the Ganga and to Ram Jhula. Food here (bruschetta, pizza, pasta) was fantastic.

Follow the signs to find the Ganga

Walking with the monkeys above

Trayambakeshwar, Om Shiv Pooja bhandar

Dinner view to Ram Jhula from VJ's giardino by the Ganga

The second day in Rishikesh, the river rafting tour picked me up at the hotel and we drove upstream to the starting point. On the way, we passed by the towers for bungee jumping, the great swing and other adrenaline junky favorites. Our rafting guide gave a security briefing: 90% Hindi, 10% English. Thanks for the Iceland experience, I remembered the main commands: forward, backward, stop, down. 

Ready for the rafting

I was the only foreigner in the boat and off we went through the first rapids. After the speedy and biggest rapids and some swimming beside the raft, we arrived at the midway point where some further people joined us. Downstream we came across some more but less difficult rapids and got another swimming session in. 

survived the first rapids

End point for our tour

Soon after, we arrived at the pick up point where we waited a long time till our car came. Lots of other rafts arrived and left while we waited. There was also a funeral taking place - the body wrapped in white clothes was placed on top of a funeral pyre by the Ganga and soon the last rites were performed and the fire was lighted.

Back in the hotel I got the Patra Potli massage I booked and rested afterwards. 

Spa

After a late lunch I walked down to Ram Jhula and crossed the suspension bridge. On the other side I explored the ashrams, temples and the river bank. 

Ram Jula

One of the many active ashrams in Rishikesh - Parmarth Niketan Ashram is close to Ram Jhula and the Ganga and therefore attracts a lot of people.

Parmarth Niketan Ashram

Ashram schedule

On Saturday morning, I joined a two hour yoga class in Tapovan with yoga teacher Mitrathanks to Zahara who shared the info with me after our dinner the evening before. Despite haven't done any yoga for some time, I could follow the class without problems.

Yoga class 

Look for the boards to find a yoga class

The rest of the day, I spent souvenir shopping and in the afternoon headed towards the Beatles Ashram aka Chaurasi Kutia. The ashram was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1960s and in 1968 The Beatles spent two months here to learn about Transcendental Meditation. They wrote a lot of songs in this period - many of them making it to the "White Album".

The Beatles & Maharishi image in the Satsang Hall

Abandoned after the 1970s, the meditation caves, living quarters, bungalows and other structures were prone to the forces of the jungle which took over the place. In 2015, the place opened as a tourist sight and attracts a lot of Beatles devotees. 

Living quarters

Each had a big room, a bathroom and a balcony

Meditation Caves - 84 were built between 1974-1978

Maharishi's bungalow

egg-shaped domes on the multi-story buildings

Sawar tree flower

India - back again

Over the years, several attempts to return to India have failed: first COVID, then other commitments, then the festivals I wanted to experience coinciding with work or other travel. To manifest the trip for 2024, I asked for a Lonely Planet India as Christmas gift last year. 

So for this 9th trip to India, my agenda was 

• Meeting our Indian team members and work a couple of days in the Gurgaon office
• Visit my best friend Sankalp
• Meet lots of other old friends
• Explore Rishikesh and Dehradun and
• Experiencing the Holi festival 
• Enjoy Pondicherry

So after the first couple of days, what can I say? There are things that have dramatically changed in India and there are things that have not changed at all. 

Change

• More liquor stores and they look super shiny
• Even more coffee than chai then last time
• Instant payments with your phone (does only work if you have an Indian bank account)
• Confirming everything with an OTP (taxi rides, train booking, logins)
• Electric cabs 🚕 and auto rickshaws 🛺 available

No change

• Speed bums on high ways
• Stray dogs everywhere 
• Lots of trash on the streets
• Honking with no end

Most of the first week, I spent in Gurgaon working with my team member and the rest of the Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle Team on our data.

Manat, Shubhankar, Chris, Satvik

For lunch, we went to the neighbouring Ambiance Mall and ate ourselves through the international food offer: Nando, Chilis, Manchurian and YouMee. 

Team lunch

On Monday night, we went out to Cyber Hub for a team dinner including our old colleagues Paritosh and Kushagra.

Team dinner

Tuesday night I spent with Vividha at "The Piano Man" listening to live R&B music by Muskan & Yash in 32nd Avenue - the second nightly hangout place.

Chris & Vividha

Muskan & Yash

Wednesday night, I explored Galleria Market - the third and last place for going out. So considering that there are only three places it was not so unusual as I thought that I stumbled on a colleague in 32nd Avenue the night before.

Cyber City & Cyber Hub