The actual purpose of Holi is still eluding me, two weeks after this amazing festival took place. Friends have explained to me a number of different reasons why it takes place, from; celebrating the coming of spring, celebrating the rich colour of life and love and my personal favourite, an excuse to make fools of your friends and family and have a great time in the process. Whatever the reason for the festival one this is certain. For one day a year, people drop all professional responsibilities, purchase copious amounts of paint and coloured powder making sure that every possible colour in the rainbow is represented in their armorer then gather a group of friends and family to wage colourful war on one another!

I awoke on the day of the festival unaware of the impending Technicolor dream show that was about to be played out in font of, and on, me! I sauntered out of my room towards the club house early on Saturday morning, the due from the cold Indian night still hung in the air like an invisible, all-conquering cloak over the Academy. Once at the club house I made sure to position myself at a table out on the terrace, perfectly in line with the rising sun to ensure the crisp morning rays showered my cold weary body. It was then left for me to sit back, enjoy breakfast and engross myself in 'A Year in Provence' by Peter Mayle.

After spending the early part of the morning on an idyllic vineyards at the foot hills of the Lubéron Mountains, drinking Pastis and marvelling at the surrounding I slapped myself out of dream land and began the walk back to my room. Little did I know I was being stalked, and not by a crazed manic intend on robbing me of all my money, rather Ravi Babu who with both hands full of red and yellow powder let out an almighty shout before unleashing a shower of coloured powder all over my clean white t-shirt and shocked face. I stood motionless... wondering why I suddenly resembled a oversized hippy lobster, as Ravi tried his level best to explain to me the reason for his impromptu assault whilst laughing uncontrollably. My powder filled ears were just about clear enough to decode the words that were coming from his mouth, and after the initial shock of it all... I couldn't help but begin to laugh uncontrollably at what had just happened to me.

The afternoon then descended into a mass of colour and laughter. With Ravi and I as the ringleaders, refusal to take part was not an option, and was met with a hefty slap of colour around the face of anyone who dare escape. We both made sure that every single person in the Academy was covered in a variety of different colours, from Mahender (the cook, and great friend) to Amit Saran (SPT's CEO) everyone was turned into walking rainbows.
Giant tanks full of water were filled and left on the football field to allow people to fill up buckets of freezing cold water and cover friends, family and enemies in water.

Being the only white boy present my skin obviously stood out as a particularly appealing target for wave after wave of colourful attacks from everyone. My face was the first target, with most people choosing to use darker colours to make sure my face resembled a rather bruised and battered plumb. My neck and arms were the next on the body hit list, my arms in particular came under constant attack from Andrew who decided to test every possible colour available on my helpless limbs.

The festival itself is primarily a Hindu celebration, welcoming the beginning of spring.
The story goes that a young Lord Krishna was finding it difficult to come to terms with the difference in skin colour between him and his younger brother Radha's. After Lord Krishna's mother witnessed how upset this made her first born son she decided to apply coloured powder to both there faces to curve Lord Krishna's anxieties. Thus Holi is a festival not only to welcome the coming of spring but also to highlight the richness of love. The feelings I received from everyone taking part in the celebrations though was that the true meaning and nature of Holi has been lost over recent years, similar to Christmas and Easter in the west. But this is not down to commercial influences, rather the increasing physical and mental demands of modern day life that has lead people to simply relish the chance to take life a little less seriously, regardless of the true meaning of it all. So the reason people celebrate the festival these days is simply... for fun. Its a day when people can let go of all of their inhibitions and day-to-day worries and act like five year old kids again. I know I did!