Holi Play.

Topanga Canyon, California. March 2013.

Happy Holi!

This was the beginning of the festivities when we were just getting started.

Then we went to my Uncle's house and got more into it...

My mom even played with us which was so much fun!

And the water and the colors just kept coming...

My cousins and I.

As we were washing the color off their front porch. I wish I couldn't gotten a photo when all the colors were still there. It was amaaazing!

Some boys on the street that had obviously gotten into the Holi spirit.

Back at my cousins house watching all the people walking by on the street. This boy looked like he was ready to pelt passers-by with water balloons.

The beginning of his colored adventures.

And further along... These boys were so much fun to watch. They played for hours and most of the time it was just the two of them, but they seemed like they were having so much fun anyways.

These were some other neighbors that were just living for Holi. It was so refreshing to see people being so aggressive/passionate, but in such a loving way. Going out, even the few days before Holi, was like war. You could get hit with water balloons from anyone waiting up on their porches or even hiding behind walls.

Color color color! So much color and so much fun!

After we had played in front of my Uncle's house for a bit, we went to the community park by his house where most of the neighborhood had gathered to celebrate. Everyone was putting color on each other and the energy was just so positive and loving. It was such child-like fun and it was so cool to be able to go up to a complete stranger and just put powdered color on their face and wish them a "Happy Holi". I really wish I could have taken pictures in that park (!) because there were more colors and more people and it was definitely a sight to see! Sadly I didn't have my camera because we were all drenched with colors and water!

So to everyone back home, Happy Holi!

I hope you all are having amazing times doing whatever you're doing and just remember to live. Life is colorful and it's beautiful if you let it be.

Peace&love.

This is just a quick pre-Holi post of some photos. Today is Holi (the festival of Colors), so I don't have a lot of time right now.

This is a sweet shop that  I went to a few days ago. Sweets are very big in India, especially around festivals.

This is my Mom (who's here now for a couple weeks!) holding a flower that we saw on one of our outtings.

My cousins and I went to a market a couple nights ago and these men were already in the Holi spirit throwing color on each other and having a good time. There was a bag of color laying on the floor that wasn't totally empty so I picked it up to put a little dot on my forehead, but one of the men saw me doing it so he took the bag and poured some in his hands and kind of gestured to make sure it was ok with me and then just put it all over my face. And then another man came up and put some more! My first real taste of Holi.

Then we ate corn on the cob with lemon and spices. So good! Indian food is seriously to die for.

Yesterday, puja got to watch a puja! My cousins do one every month at their house just for good energy, etc. So I got to experience it with them. A pandit came to the house and performed the puja.

This is the little altar the set up. (Notice the pandit's cellphone. Everyone here has one!)

A bracelet that we saw at my cousin's jewelry shop.

One of my cousins after he came back from a Holi party with his friends. He had already cleaned up but notice all the color that didn't wash off. I'm getting really excited for today!

As we drove last night, there were quite a few little fires like this for the night before Holi. It's all part of the tradition and goes along with the story (which I don't have time to fully explain right now).

So, Happy Holi and expect photos from today! This is my first festival that I get to experience in India so hopefully it will be one to remember!

Peace.