Karachi
The faces were all smudged with colours, so were the dresses. But despite the bright hues flying in the air and music ruling the ambiance, the suffering of their brethren in Tharparkar was too much to lighten the mood of the Hindu community in Karachi as they marked Holi in various temples on Sunday.
Clad mostly in bright colours, Hindu families across Karachi celebrated the festival mainly in temples after evening prayers.
At the Swami Narayan Mandir near Lighthouse, a grand bonfire was lighted. This tradition, according to the legend, marks the incineration of the treacherous Holika – who plotted to end the life of Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Naryaana.
“It’s a celebration of a devotee’s triumph over false gods,” explained Ali Maharaj, a Hindu priest present at the temple.
Young men and women danced to the tune of famous Bollywood numbers in the courtyard of Laxmi Narayan Mandir under the Native Jetty Bridge. To make sure they do not miss out anything, the families began to gather in the temple since afternoon.
“It’s one of the greatest celebrations in our faith; we pray that peace returns to our country,” remarked a visibly jubilant Laxmi, a 17-year-old whose face was smeared with red colours.
The current drought in Tharparkar and the many casualties caused by the calamity in the district was not the only sour point among the community members this year. The news about the burning of a dharamshala in Larkana on Saturday had also raised new fears among the devotees.
While children celebrated the mood with their heart’s content, some of the adults were cautious, as they sensed that this time around, the atmosphere was not ideal. “I just hope that everything turns normal again, as you know the situation this time is not that favourable, ” said a 35-year-old man, who came to Laxmi Narayan Temple with his wife and two children.
But many Hindu devotees, the excitement that Holi brings was not that diminished. The zinc of the colour festival was all too apparent. Young children carrying water guns with liquid colours chased each other, as vendors across the various temples set up stalls selling goodies and the Holi “must-haves” for the visitors.
“The crowd is bigger than last year I think,” thought Abdul Malik, who sells removable colours at the Swami Narayan Remple every year. “I make an easy buck each year. Though this time there are more people, but the sale did not spike markedly because of high prices.”
With sweet vendors, jewellers and others selling Holi-specific goodies, the mela outside the Swami Narayan did a whooping business as was obvious looking at the crowd. The children and teenagers were the ones who ruled the affairs at the thick of the celebrations.
After meticulous planning, they filled their armoury with an assortment of colours. Some of the wicked ones went as far as carrying colours that stick to your skin for days. “You need to get some thinner and rub it harshly to remove it,” explained one Harish, who claimed to be 13-year-old, but looked a bit old for such a prank.