Storizen March 2018 Holi Special Issue Holi 2018 Special Issue | Page 22

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE
Photo: Adam Whitlock
Colors of Happiness
BY ASHWATI
MENON
Nandini smiled broadly to herself in happiness. As she disembarked from the bus, she saw the
She was looking forward to the weekend when she streets lined up with stalls and makeshift shops
would get to celebrate Holi with her friends. And that sold pichkari and the colors. She couldn’t help
this year it was going to be special. All her but smile even broader. She bounded into an auto
childhood friends were coming from different rickshaw and went riding all the way up to the
cities and it was a decade since she had met them street where her home was located. She smiled.
all. She had never thought that she could ever live There was a huge “pandal” in the front and huge
without them but then life had taken its toll and all vessels were lying there.
friends had gone in as many different directions as Bhaang for tomorrow! She gleamed.
possible. “My rock star is here!” yelled a voice from inside.
Nandini was gazing at the landscape as her bus Her father came bounding outside. He threw open
trudged its way to her small hometown. She the gate and ran all the way to where she was
remembered how every Holi her grandmother standing. All dignity lost, she threw her bag and
would tell Shiv, my brother and I the same story. broke into a run and lunged on to her father.
The story had never changed in all these years – of Nandini’s mother and grandmother came out
Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap – how Lord Vishnu happily. They looked at each other and smiled.
had taken the avatar of Narasimha; how Holika Every time Nandini was home from Pune, her
had been burnt alive on the pyre. The same story home was always had extra celebrations. Ever
with the same characters had not once bored her since she had moved to Pune to work, the home
or deterred her from believing that good things was two decibels silent. With no one to jabber
happen to people who have good intentions at non-stop or lack of noise due to no fights
heart.
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