“Godbole family-Holi celebration. Hindustan Times- march 2007”

Gun-shaped pichkaris thandai and puranpoli – that’s how three generations of the Godbole family willusher in Holi this year .

        Reminiscing about Holi celebrationsin his youth ,the senior-most member of the family ,Neelkanth Godbole (80) said :”We used to move out in groups and collect dry waste from nearby localities and burn them on the Holi night.This used to clean up the area and avoid unnecessary cutting of trees.”

        With the manner of celebration Holi changing with the times , some in the family feels the festival has now become more violent in nature.”People walking on the road are attacked by water- filled ballons. It becomes really difficult to walk on the road a week before the festival,” says Mrunali Godbole(39),interior designer.

          But the youngest in the family seem to be more interested in soaking up the festive mood, safety measures thrown to the wind. “We play in mud and apply colours and oil paints on each others. A ballon war goes on during Holi between two groups in our building which the best part of the festival.”says Meera Godbole.(11). Added Vedant  Godbole  (8),animately :”Our group has started playing with water and balloons since February 15.

           In today’s tech-age Holi has gone quite hi-tech and stylish. Plans are made fortnight ahead. “nowadays you get hi-tech Chinese pichkaris and eco-friendly colours ,”says Rajendra Godbole(42). But the whole family is unanimous when it comes to their favourite  Holi cuisine- grand mother’s special thandai and puranpoli. 

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