Yasmin Taj and Anjita Pradhan

Kathmandu:

Holi — the festival of colours, the festival of water, the festival that sparks new friendships and also engages a whole lot of enemies too, albeit in a playful environment. One can see people preparing for this occasion way in advance. Most women dread this occasion though men seem to have all the fun. And, at times, men, too, become victims of mischief. Let us hear what some of the celebrities have to share about their worst and best Holi experiences.

Holi splash, bang!

Ankit Kocher, DJ, Galaxy, Everest Hotel

Best experience:

“I had a very good experience at Bombay. That was six years back. I had gone out with my cousins for a Holi bash. There were celebrities coming in and I was feeling quite out of place. Besides I didn’t really know anyone there so was feeling a bit awkward. Though it was a Holi bash there wasn’t much happening. Suddenly a group of girls picked me and threw me in a small pool. They were 20 of them and I was alone. I was a bit nervous in the beginning but slowly made friends and had fun. That was the best Holi ever.”

Worst experience:

“Apparently it was my first Holi. I was just eight years old then. I remember my parents filling buckets and buckets of water and storing it. I asked them and they said that it was a fun festival and all of us were celebrating it. Soon the fun began but not for me. I didn’t know what was going on and was scared seeing people smearing colour on each other. To add to it, the wall of my house, which was white, had all kinds of colour splashed in it and now I was finding difficult to find my home as well as my parents. I could not recognise my parents and sat in one corner crying till evening. That was the first and the worst Holi ever!”

Holi Molly Mad!

Abhaya, lead singer, Abhaya and the Steam Injuns

Best experience:

“I don’t like playing Holi at all and the best Holi for me would be the one when I don’t have to play it. And hence I have never actually had a great Holi. In fact, I strongly believe that Holi is a way to let the boys do anything and everything to women and hence take advantage of the occasion. Colours used in Holi do hazards to skin and hair, too. Pimples burst out in your skin and hair becomes extremely dry. Though I have been invited to quite a few Holi bashes this year, I have plans of escaping all of them,” she says.

Worst experience

“Being a student in India, where there are a whole lot of weird ways of celebrating Holi, I, too, have fallen prey to many kinds of disgusting pranks. When I was a student in Delhi and was walking past a street while on my way to college. I had no clue that Holi was on the verge, and was looking all fresh and prim, when suddenly from this high-rise building, someone splashed a big bucket of water on me.”

Shame shame!

Ritesh, lead guitarist, Abhaya and the Steam Injuns

Best experience:

“It was around two years ago, when we — me and my band were chilling out on our terrace, soaking the sun and basically just relaxing when somebody out of the blues just hit us with a water balloon. We were not even aware that Holi was on the threshold and were shocked and hence in retaliation ran down and got our share of balloons and water and started throwing it back at them. It turned out to be something like a ‘Holi war’ and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.”

Worst experience:

“Everything in life has its good and bad facets and so does Holi. At times the situation gets out of hand and a little too embarrassing. I was on my way to Jawalakhel to visit a friend’s girlfriend, as my friend was not feeling too well. While sitting in the Safa Tempo, suddenly I got hit by a balloon right below my belt. It was so embarrassing and I had to actually dry myself up in the sun before meeting my friend so as to save my impression of being a decent person.”

Colour me bad

Karishma Mahanadhar, actress

Best experience:

“To tell the truth I actually do not enjoy this festival. So till date I don’t have memories of a good Holi celebration. But, yes, this time I have planned a get together at my place where I am inviting my close friends for a decent celebration.”

Worst experience:

“I do have many worst Holi experiences but the one while shooting for a movie with Shiva Shrestha was the worst. We were packing up for the day when Shiva smeared colour on my face. Now that was the least expected that could have ever happened because I was supposed to lunch with Binod. We weren’t married then and with that face I reached his house and to add to more to it he refused to let me in. So we had to have lunch in his garden. That was the worst experience I can remember.”

Balloons and more …

Bandana Rana, president of Sancharika Samuha

Best experience:

“I had wonderful Holi experiences as a child. This was the time when we were allowed to play with water. So I used to take this opportunity to please myself. The best part was that we could go from home to home and play freely with anyone. Those were the days I should say,” Rana says.

Worst experience:

“One day on my way to college I was hit by one of the naughty kids and got hurt on my back. Besides, it also ruined the dress and I was late for college. That was the worst experience and I hope it does not happen to anyone,” Rana says.

Holy cow!

Sarun Tamrakar, Uglyz band

Best experience:

“We never used to go out to play Holi but in 1996 I got a chance to go out with my friends. That was the time I really enjoyed and we were soaked to our skin. We had even painted our faces and enjoyed the day to the max. So much so that when we came back out parents could not recognise us!”

Worst experience:

“It was the same year that I experienced something very bad. While we were loafing around at Thamel, we were surprised by a bucket of cow dung water from a building. We didn’t know what to do so we went around the place with that dirty stench around us. Later we went back and had a shower. I believe people should refrain using such ideas during a fun festival.”