MUMBAI: The festival of colours and love- Holi is here. It is time to forget bad memories and create new beginnings, because ‘Holi Ke Din Dil Khil Jaate Hain Rangon Men Rang Mil Jaate Hain, Gile Shiqave Bhuul Ke Dosto Dushman Bhi Gale Mil Jaate Hain’. On the occasion of Holi, Radioandmusic.com’s Dhairya Ingle spoke to musicians about their favourite memories of the festival.

Sonu Nigam

My holis have never been over the top.. Guess it was due to my family background. My parents are simple people with a middle class background. Earlier we celebrated Holi within the family then amongst the colonies where we lived in Delhi and now buildings in Bombay. But, post 1991 mostly performing on those days... or traveling. Like this year. Otherwise I keep it simple and private.

Arko

I was brought up in Kolkata and all the elders of the house played Holi in a very disciplined manner by applying ‘abir’ on the cheeks and feet. We as kids, created a ruckus hurling water balloons, spraying colours, splashing coloured water. I remember a hurling a balloon on a guy from our locality who had no sense of humour and he shouted at us for our actions. He went on to spoil our party for a very long time.

Amitabh Bhattacharya

Back in Lucknow I remember playing colours with friends. In groups on cycles going from one house to the other and hogging on ‘gujiyas’ and ‘paapads’. Although I have not played Holi since I came to Mumbai.

Jonita Gandhi

Hailing from Canada, I have not been a part of the Holi celebrations. But it was in 2011, I played Holi in Delhi, and all I remember is that it was a get together for all our family members splashing buckets of water over me.

Aman Trikha

Of late, I have not played a crazy holi or even gone out really to have a blast. I have just been wishing my family with Gulaal or other dry organic colours. But when I was in Delhi years ago my friends and I had a gala time playing from morning to evening with ‘pichkaaris’ filled with solid liquid permanent colors, grease and any kind of water. Once I remember my face was painted pitch black-silver and when I went back home my family could not identify me at first and asked who did I want?

Palash Muchhal

For me Holi has always been an occasion for a get together. When we were at Indore, I remember all of us would go on a two wheeler visiting our relatives. We would pour buckets of water into the houses of the people who refused to come out.