So in order to not put a cut on this post that would then contain 60+ photos of a 30 hour time period, I decided I would break our Holi celebrations up into three parts. The eve of Holi celebration, the day of Holi (where we looked like a creepy cult of women), and the evening of Holi, where a few girls retired for the night and the rest of us turned pink— almost permanently. Good times in the pink city!

Really, how this story goes is: 1. Scary fire part. 2. Rainbow Holi. 3. Ladies in pink.

Warning: so many selfies.
Honestly, I’m not a selfie girl, you guys know this, but looking at all these photos makes me want to take more selfies with friends. I might work on that.

But anyway, I don’t know if you guys are aware of this— but an event with a large crowd of people that has men ZOOMING through and past you with large torches of FIRE is really rather frightening! Did you guys know this? Cause it is. It really is.

One of the best things about our India trip (besides you know, being in India) was the fact that we had a really good structured itinerary that everyone could follow…. or not. After visiting the astrologer, some of us wanted to stay out late and see what the night before Holi was all about and some of us wanted to just head back to the hotel and digest their futures— and/or enjoy the beautiful hotel we were at. I opted to stay out. I hope to return to India one day soon, but I knew that I should take every opportunity I could, just in case I couldn’t for some reason. So to celebrate I went!



Basically there are tons of hay structures set up throughout the city– all the cities really, waiting to be set on fire for a bon-fire celebration. People walk around and decorate. There’s dancing, singing, color everywhere. There are also ladies waiting with slather everyones face with dye. No one is without color. You’re there? You’re colorful. Thats how it amazingly works. My once white shirt? Still pink. Forever pink.

And lots of kiddos too. Happily playing along. 



Our new rainbow loving friends— happily covering us in all the colors. 
(A good time to mention, I don’t know who took half these photos. Either Erica or Alexis I think. Thank you to whichever of you ladies I stole these pictures from <3<3 )

I made everyone feet selfie with me. Thanks guys. 



we’re happy.. but then.. wait for it.


The motorcycles come speeding by— men with torches in the air— and people running on top of the hay pile to grab the giant greenery stick on top before lighting the whole thing on fire. I like to call this, ‘a practice in my social anxiety’ 😐 It was fun, yes, but super nerve wracking for me. And I really have no photos of this whole motorcycle thing happening because I was too busy trying not to pee myself.


But it was a blast. We happily enjoyed for a good while— and slowly made our way out of the crowd and further away from the bon fires as the night started setting in. Drunk people + fires typically don’t make a good combo, you know? We then headed to another part of the city for night time marketing, before heading back to the hotel for colorful sleep in preparation for the next magical rainbow day.

And this couple? Well, I creepily watched them a whole lot. I wish I had taken a better photo of them, I’m not sure why I hesitated until the last moment. But I absolutely loved them. I’m not sure if they were Americans or where they were from, but they were just the raddest old couple. Really, what I basically envision Alex and I looking like when we grow old. They were like old traveling dead-heads or something— not to say Alex and I will magically become dead heads, you know. But who knows their story! They enjoyed the evening, and jumped on their motorcycle and headed away. I loved them.

Well friends, this is part one. Part two probably has 60 rainbow photos and part three probably has 30 pink photos. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but probably not. Have a wonderful thursday. Only two more days until the weekend. And three more days until our family vacation <3

2 Comments

  1. Wow, that looks absolutely amazing. What a fantastic experience for you all. I'd have been mesmerised by the older couple as well, I love to find people who are a little different. CJ xx