holi moly!

following a quick trip to kerala for a fabulous fulbright conference (all expenses paid!) i jetted straight off to delhi to spend holi with friends. this was probably the most anticipated festival for me. probably? who am i kidding. it's on my bucket list, for goodness' sake. i was really excited about this. i mean i'd played holi with friends before in the states. but something about being in india where everyone around you is dancing and celebrating and covered in color just seemed fantastic.

i arrived the day before holi, which is actually holi itself - people light bonfires at night; the color part comes the day after. the next morning we rose early to the sounds of drums that seemed to be right outside the window. and, in fact, probably were. we hesitated a bit before going outside, content to enjoy our breakfast before getting totally covered. we managed to hold off for some time but eventually a few of the neighbors came over to play. toto (my friend's dog) was the first to get it: pink water, right on the nose. a few of us began to venture outside, receiving the obligatory cheek smear and 'happy holi' greeting from friends and neighbors. a group of women encircled me and pounced. fresh meat. (imported, even.) and then it was all over. colored powder was in the air, the dhols were out, music was blasting from car stereos, dance circles began, and fried foods were being dished out at the neighborhood celebration in the alley.

beware the small canisters

a friend arrived and, after properly welcoming him with a face full of colors, we ventured out into the city. i should mention here that delhi on holi can be a daunting place. colors aside (which are usually made with some sort of toxic chemicals), there are people who like to play 'dirty' holi, which can include dumping eggs, grease - you name it - on unsuspecting passersby. not to speak of the drunken groping which can happen later in the day. needless to say, we were hoping to avoid these things. but it was still early and the streets were fairly empty. on the way we passed some typical sights - children chasing one another, men pouring out bhang lassis, and of course plenty of stands selling gulal (colors). we stopped at one such stand to stock up on necessities.

then across town to another neighborhood where we found a place to park and walked down into the other friend's neighborhood. on the way we were subject to attacks of projectile colors (mostly in water form) from the kids on upstairs balconies. they were so excited when they got the gori (that would be me, folks). we retrieved our friend, who greeted us with all-natural gulal (fancy!), and we returned to the main road, opening ourselves up to overhead assaults once again. we arrived on the street just in time to greet my friends who had arrived from england just a few days prior. they're pretty fair-skinned even by british standards so you can imagine how white they must have looked next to all of our color. well, naturally we wasted no time in taking care of that. before long they looked like all the other tourists they had been making fun of in their hotel that morning. we had a quick stop at another gulal stand and had a quick bite - samosas and pakoras, with probably a dash of chemicals from our colored hands.

aftermath (this used to be white)

from there it was back to my friend's place (the first one). and, yes, the car had been suitably prepared for the inevitabilities of holi (read: trashbags and old towels on the seats). by the time we got back the main celebrations in the neighborhood were over but it didn't stop us from having our own fun. plenty of color attacks and lots of dancing, accompanied by a little whisky (parading as appy fizz). in the end we were covered head to toe. one friend, in a particularly malicious move, got us with the tiny canister of color concentrate: just add water and you'll be pink for a week. guaranteed!* after we'd had our fun we took our turns in using the bathroom, turning the tiles and towels successively pinker one by one. my hair, neck and parts of my face remained quite pink, even after several scrubbings and even using that horrible green soap that's only used on dishes and, probably, hulls of boats and rusty tanks. that may have been more damaging than the toxic colors, all told. after we were (marginally) cleaned up we met and gathered at a different friend's place across town for a night of food and relaxing.

overall it was a great introduction to holi. while it was pretty tame, i didn't want to go too crazy and venture out into the chaos of the city. although i do regret not taking more pictures (my main camera still has some colors on it; i switched to my little point and shoot for fear of permanent damage) and getting closer to some of the action. i'm sure i'll be back, though. and next time i'll get a little more into the mix. really get my hands dirty.

*i now know this to be true for a fact.
 

garba galore..

so the real reason i came to ahmedabad (although buying textiles was pretty high up there..) was for navratri, which is sometimes called the biggest dance festival in the world. it's nine straight nights of dancing - all over the city, on all scales. the dancing ranges from street garba to societies (sort of like gated communities) to the giant clubs that put on all-out productions with live music on stage and expensive lighting. on this trip we tried to hit them all.

first off.. club garba..

twirling

our first introduction to all that is garba was at the rajpath club (read: fancy). this ended up being a crash course. we wore our variously borrowed and purchased chaniya choli and bedecked ourselves in things that glittered and jingled. good thing, too, because we were probably the least adorned people there (as if we don't stand out enough). to say they were decked out does not come close. i'd say the average person there was probably wearing close to 8 pounds of fabric, embroidery, mirrors, bells, sequins, tassles, and let't not forget makeup. all tied together with a few strategic safety pins. but that did not stop them from moving. as soon as our friends (well my friend's friends from garba class. yes, class) arrived they formed circle, put their shoes in the middle, and jumped right in.

so coordinated (in more ways than one)

let me tell you, that was some complicated garba. there were many more than the two steps i had been briefly taught. and then they kept changing them! these people were going pretty fast too, definitely working up a sweat (though, in fairness, not difficult with the lights and 15 pounds of material they were under). kristen and i tried our best not to run into people (did i mention they were constantly switching directions?!) for a while but eventually gave up in favor of watching and documenting. we wandered all over taking pictures and videos of all sorts of groups - the most impressive was probably this one troupe - matching outfits and all - that had all sorts of choreographed routines, including, variously, men balancing umbrellas, little girls dancing on shoulders, and what looked to be mini dance-offs.

even the kids are impressive with the dandiya!

we saw all kinds of dances - with twirling umbrellas, throwing sticks (dandiya is the kind with the sticks, i believe) into the air (and, yes, catching them), and little kids getting into the mix. i think it would best be described as a spectacle. eventually kristen and i meandered back to our group where they themselves had moved on to the sequined umbrellas. we were ceremoniously pushed into the crowd and umbrellas were thrust at us. we were made to do a step that involved minimal twirling and stepping, thankfully something we could handle. we did this in various directions as photos and videos were taken around us. luckily that seemed to be enough to assuage the circle and we slipped out of the spotlight with our dignity more or less intact. we slipped out of the festivities not long after, though our friend did stay to be honored as the 'best foreign dancer' - very sweet. as we were speeding home in our auto afterward, chugging water and glad to be seated, my main thought was 'how do these people do this for nine nights?!'

i got my answer shortly, once we experienced society garba..

the closest i got to street garba. my feet did get pretty dirty!

so many of the neighborhoods in ahmedabad are comprised of societies that seem to vary in size and level of affluence. i'm sure their celebrations vary similarly but i only saw a few examples. in general they seem to be much more tame affairs, with one big circle, a few musicians and pretty slow, simple music. the dress code seems to be much more relaxed - some fully decked out in chaniya choli, others in salwar kameez and some just in western attire. and, best of all, the steps are much more limited. one direction, one half turn, same basic idea throughout. i can handle this! i'm glad to say i caught on to this one rather quickly and quite enjoyed it. i could see myself doing this for nine nights. although going in circles does eventually get tiresome..

street garba..

..it seems, is more of the same, just outside the confines of a society. the dance is done around a pot (society ones seem to be also) and other items for the deity. i've heard talk of women with pots on heads dancing, unfortunately i didn't get to see much of this variety.

but we also experienced what i'm calling university garba..

a variety of attire for this garba affair

as the name may suggest, we experienced this one at one of the local universities. most universities have various events throughout the festival but we were told by several people that the one at CEPT (environmental planning and technology) was particularly good. it must have been because there was quite a clamor to get in. i'm not sure how we did - persistence, maybe - but regardless. here once again the dress and attitude was varied - all kinds of clothing. the dancing seemed to be more or less the same slow, steady pace with half turns every other beat. there were two large circles and what we were first struck by was that no one was really smiling all that much. i mean, i suppose all that going in circles must get to you eventually. although, to be fair, this was punctuated about every 5 minutes by a big 'woooo' that went through the crowd. we're still not sure why. nothing else seemed to happen. probably the best part of this experience for me was the decorations, though i'm sure that had to do more with it being a school for architects. there were all sorts of lanterns made from little more than cut paper or cardboard. really well done.

i'm sure this is by no means an exhaustive list of the types of garba one can see - just what i experienced in a few days. i mean, after all, it was the biggest dance festival in the world.

garba garb, and other textile tales

it's always interesting to go back to a place you've been before. some things are just as you remembered, while others seem to have changed completely. the last time i was in ahmedbad it was this past january, sadly just after uttarayan (the kite festival). remnants of kites were littered in the trees and power lines, and there were a few kids here and there playing but nothing like the big festival i've heard of.

how to choose?

this time around it was navratri - the festival of nine nights, which is also considered to be the biggest dance festival in the world. so when i strolled around the familiar sights of the old city.. the jama masjid, manek chowk.. the landscape seemed slightly altered. the piles of mouth fresheners and dried fruits remained but were overwhelmed by rows of dangling silver necklaces, small clothes with shiny tinsel fringe, and meters upon meters of fabric covered in embroidery, beads, mirrors, tassels, shells, bells - anything eye-catching and loud (literally or figuratively). the law garden (another shopping area) was more of the same. sequined umbrellas, sparkling dandiya sticks and fabric that was wall-to-wall glitz. i'm told gujaratis have a particular flair for all things glittery.. i would be inclined to believe that.

everything sparkles.. even the sticks

so these chaniya choli, worn for the dancing i mentioned, consist of a long skirt, short bodice-type top and a long scarf. and they are everywhere. the shopping area i remember looked completely transformed. it was hard to find anything but these outfits. (though that didn't stop me from buying about a dozen types of fabric.. it is the city of textiles, after all. more on that later.) i did end up getting myself a chaniya choli as well. 'when in rome' and all that sort of thing..

stalls at the law garden. can you spot the person?

going about finding one of these was harder than expected, considering i was literally surrounded by them. the general mentality with these items seem to be the more, the better. sequins? good. mirrors? great. tassels? sure, why not! as for color, well if you were hoping for something monotone, you've come to the wrong place. while i think these crazy, busy, shiny designs look fabulous on other people and are certainly wonderful for dancing in, i'm not so sure i could pull it off (or carry it home..) so me looking for something 'simple' (ha) was something of a wild goose chase. then there was price to consider. i tried to be sure i was getting a good deal (it helps to listen to the prices locals are quoted). in the end, i found one i liked for a reasonable price. it still had beads and shells but it was only two colors, one of which was somewhat muted. and, hey, it still twirled and made noise. success.

i also managed to find some regular textile shops in the middle of all this madness. i saw a few materials and was directed up a narrow flight of wooden steps with a hanging knotted rope for a banister. my rewards at the top was a room filled with piles and piles of fabrics of all kinds. solids, prints - wood block, batik, bordered. it was heavenly - i took my time and leisurely chose some prints and matching solids for pants. i bought a few the first day and came back (after shopping around a bit) another day for more. who knows when i'll be in gujarat again! i even found some pretty striped silk to have some pillows made. now all that's left is to find a tailor..

and now, for something completely different..

the textile museum. it's an experience in itself. the rules are many and hardfast. my first introduction to this was last winter, when i tried to visit the museum at 1.30. silly me. you can only visit the museum at 10.15. if you have a reservation. and leave your camera and phone at the front gate

the grounds and buildings themselves are beautiful - apparently the property once belonged to the wealthiest family in ahmedabad. you'll have to take my word for it (as of course i have no pictures) but the grounds are lush and shady, with plenty of palm trees, flowering plants and small ponds. the houses themselves are gorgeous, with beautifully carved wooden window boxes and elaborate brackets. the collection itself is vast - and even more impressive. saris, turbans, tents, wall hangings - from all over india. in all different styles, techniques, and colors (thought there was a lot of red and gold). the tour itself was another story. the guide (whose reputation precedes her across the city) was insistent that everyone stay together and not dawdle and her explanations seemed to be muddled. mostly what i got out of each one was the geographic origin and maybe the use of the textiles in that room. at the end we were told to wait so we could go as a group to the next section to see the tools. we wanted to duck out and go to the store, which we did with some difficulty, only to discover that the dozens of postcards that line the walls are no longer in stock. 

at any rate, ahmedabad certainly lived up to its monicker as the city of textiles. the landscape and experience of the city during navratri was a sight to behold. maybe next time i'll make it for uttaryan...

dances and tigers and bananas, oh my!

from cochin i took a train to thrissur (also called trichur.. every city here has at least two names) to meet a friend of a friend i'd been talking to for months but never actually met. rekha turned out to be a fabulous host despite having to look after an ailing father. despite the odd situation (me feeling bad for being there at all, her feeling bad she couldn't show me more) we had a great time exchanging hindi and spanish lessons, playing with/breaking up fights between her nieces and nephews and discussing all the great places to go in bombay. her family filled me to the brim with keralan food, naturally - piles of rice, heaping spoonfuls of sambar, lots of fluffy idli and of course more bananas (boiled, fried, chips) than i've ever had in my life.

pookkalam for onam

in between all this eating and playing i managed to see a bit of thrissur and some of the festivities of onam as well. thrissur is, it's said, the cultural capital of kerala, after all. the first day we walked around the neighborhood, noting the pookkalam (designs of flower petals) and thrikakarappan gracing thresholds to welcome lord mahabali. we then discovered (from the milkman) that there was a boat race one day so it was decided i should go. the boat race itself, of which there are many throughout the state in the month leading up to onam, i discovered, consists principally of waiting rather than watching. in the hours preceding the event i watched as foreigners were moved up to the front 'vvip' section while others jostled for plastic chairs. i hung back but did crawl up to the front to kneel down and take some pictures of the passing procession of boats. they weren't terrible big (most of them) or decorated but the rowing itself was fun to watch. after growing weary of squatting in front of the wooden biers, i got out of the shaded pavilion and walked through the crowds of umbrellas onto the bridge. while policemen where there shooing people to one side or the other, i managed to cross back and forth enough times to see the boats going by down below. it was a unique vantage point and made the race slightly more memorable.

ona sadhya, banana leaf and all

the following day i was taken to the community celebration of a small area called 'manipuri', which rekha assured me i was the first foreigner ever to grace. by now i've grown used to the constant staring and general fuss made over white people so i was ready for it. upon arriving at the school i was ushered to one of the front chairs (but at this point i've stopped fighting it) where i sat through, once again, speech after speech from politicians in what to me is incomprehensible malayalam. after several hours of this we were ushered over to another room where long tables had been set out in preparation for the onam sadhya, the traditional feast (often over 15 dishes) eaten on a banana leaf (easy cleanup!). delicious! after our lunch break it was back to the hall for dances. two girls performed alone, what looked to me like bharatnayam - their expressions were excellent and i was able to follow the basic stories. then another version of thiruvathirakali, the traditional onam dance performed in a circle around the lit diya. (a few times the girls' colorful silks got too close to the flames which elicited urgent 'shhh shhhs' from the onlooking mothers).

silks spinning around the lit diya

then finally, pulikali - the tiger dance (that's men painted as tigers, not live ones), and the closing of onam festivities. this event, as far as i know, only happens in thrissur and it is massive. roads are shut down hours in advance so i was dropped off in the main circle with hours to kill. having felt rather queasy all day, i passed most of the hours lying down under the shade of a large tree and attracting plenty of attention from passing park-goers. eventually i got up the strength to wander around and see where all the dances would happen. gradually i understood that the procession would be on the street itself and not inside the circle. as i sat waiting for the madness to begin i must have passed hundreds of people, mostly families entertaining kids with snacks of popcorn and popsicles and rides on the playground. i looked on as families claimed their spots along the cement wall, fathers holding up children for hours and mothers talking over a constant chorus of horns, slide whistles and squeaky toys.

finally the procession itself began - it seemed to be essentially a parade. through the designs in the cement wall i could see odd floats - with bricks, trees, and a giant octopus peppered with deities and a few men painted as tigers.
and then.. nothing.
for 20 or 30 minutes nothing at all happened, other than the crowds began to disperse into the road and people began to search for more snacks and diversions. i assumed the event was wrapping up and began to head to the street, disappointed and rather exhausted.

tiger-men shaking their big rice bellies

i asked a policeman to be sure the event had ended but he explained that, 'no, it's coming'. so i perched myself on a nearby curb and continued waiting. it's a good thing i did wait because if not i would have missed the absolute madness that ensued. by the time the procession of tigers had arrived it was nightfall but we could see the lights of the float approaching in the distance and hear the beating of the drums. the men carrying the rope (which pushed the crowds back and demarcated the tigers' territory, as it were) arrived first, sweating and grunting as they heaved the procession forward. and then.. the tigers. the men were clearly excited, having long prepared for the event. they were painted all over, save for a shiny orange loincloth - their arms, legs and chests all covered with orange and black paint. their protruding rice bellies were made to look like snouts, with ferocious looking fangs and bright red tongues. this coupled with their raucous (one might say savage) enthusiasm made it actually a rather terrifying sight. they chanted and shook their bellies to the constant rhythmic beat of the drums behind them, drawing further energy from the cheering crowds, of which i seemed to be the only female. the police and fellow men on crowd control saw this, and plucked me quickly out of the massive crowds and into the front of the procession. which not only managed to keep me safe from grabby hands but also afforded me great pictures! i'm not sure they quite capture the absolute madness, but i hope they give some impression of the general chaos.

i couldn't even say how long the event went on - after about a half hour of chanting, cheering and jiggling bellies, i headed back towards rekha's house, which i reached only after a long search for a rickshaw and an even longer ride home. my arrival, just after 9pm, was greeted with many questions. why was i so late? what took me so long? wasn't i afraid of anything traveling alone like that? i just answered with a shrug of the shoulders and big smiles.

just another of the joys of being a woman in india.