Gone are the days when we would use water canons and spoil the building facade, and then get [mildly] bashed for doing so!
Gone are the days when we would throw water balloons on every person that walked or drove by our house!
Today, it is the time when we pay hefty sums to get a water tanker, just to meet our daily water supplies!
Today, is the time when even the most lethargic of the governments are, at the least, talking about sourcing water from ponds and lakes in the near by villages!
Today, is the time when, for once, the entire city [probably the entire country] has awaken to the fact that - WE ARE RUNNING SHORT OF WATER!!
Do you think, in times like these you can go out and celebrate Holi just like the yester years?
Do you think, in times like these you can waste those precious gallons on first coloring your mates, and then on getting rid of it yourself?
Do you think, in times like these you can afford to waste water and yet not be termed as a CRIMINAL?
Friends, traditions change, cultures evolve, and even the most closed societies open up with time - then why can't we? For once, why can't we all stand together, and put a firm foot forward and oppose the wet Holi celebrations!! In times when our rivers are nothing but vast stretches of dry land, our lakes only muddy pits, our bore wells only deep holes - why can't you and I celebrate Holi in ways like never before!
I remember the water shortage last year. Quite a few of us understood the gravity of the situation and moved on to celebrate dry Holi - using only gulal. No doubt we saved a lot of water playing dry Holi; but what about the clothes we spoiled with colors; didn't we waste so much water trying to rinse them? It was like, doing all the hard work to get to the top, and then jumping off the very last step!
This time things are even worse - we can't even afford the dry Holi celebration. This time let us all celebrate Tilak Holi - let us all greet our family and friends with a colored Tilak! Let us act like responsible citizens and show the world that "we care". Let us join the Tilak Holi campaign started by Dainik Bhaskar group, as it is about time we finally show our concern for the planet.
Here are a few ideas how we can celebrate Holi this year:
- On the night before Dhulendi, enjoy bon-fire with you family.
- Greet you family and friends with a colored Tilak. Use eco-friendly colors made out of kesar, turmeric, flowers etc.
- Indulge youself in some delicacies - gujias, puran-polis, kaanji, dahi-wada
- Visit you friends and relatives, and spread the word about Tilak Holi
Wishing you a very Happy Tilak Holi!!
12 comments:
really very sorry to say but from the name itself "TILAK HOLI",sounds so boring..WHO would enjoy the festival without water?? probably in diwali time u will say lets not burn crackers n save the environment..Do you think the next generation if does not enjoy the festival like we all have been doing (if we go according to u) wud even want to know about the festivals?? festivals which India is popular for,relating to all the good learning and our culture.coz i beleive almost no1 would enjoy a gujiya without colours going in their mouth..so one should enjoy within a limit realizing all the factors you have mentioned in your post so that the future generation can also enjoy the same a little bit...
If you dont enjoy a paticular form of dance say for example "KUCHIPUDI"..would you ever want to know how it originated? belongs to which state of india? whAt it tries to express through all the mudra's?
to all your questions i only wish to put forth one single question - do you think next generation can survive without water [water which you could have not wasted & preserved for the next generation you care so much about]?
i think i said one must play holi within a limit so that we can preserve water for next generation..Cant just afford to give up all for the next generation which we are not so sure about as anything can happen the next moment,Life being so unpredictable(war btn india-pak,or may be because of the environment itself}.. and by the way Hav you given up your air conditioner,washing machine,a refrigerator at home thats giving rise to global warming and started washing clothes with hands etc? Have you given up your car or a bike which is polluting the environment and started bicylcing to your office? probably your answers would not be affirmative..which will lead to another question of mine ie. Are you still ready to GIVE IT ALL UP and compromise with your convenience to such an extent??
There is a very fine line between what is a necessity and what is a convenience. In 45 degree temperature, an air conditioner becomes a necessity, but paying for water to play Holi is not even convenience - that's sheer wastage of resources.
Talking about uncertainties of the future, have you stopped saving for future or you are doing that also only in LIMITS [because you don't know whether you will be there to avail the benefits]?
Today we are in state of water-emergency, and just like any other emergency when our rights are curbed, today is the time to act responsible and forfeit the celebrations till the time we find means and ways of getting over this state of emergency.
i think you dont understand the meaning of doing things in a limit. Teme are you the kind of person who just believes in saving[may be your salary] for the future only and not spending in the present at all?? We all being indians do spend and do save considering all the uncertainties of the future.
and when u say there is a very fine line between convenience and necessity..Teme how does a poor survive in a 45 degree temperature if you think it is a necessity? you must have seen beggars on the traffic lights in 45 degree temperature without slippers.. i would just like to conclude by sayin " ITS TOTALLY UPTO YOU HOW ASSUME IT TO BE"
n i suppose you didn't quite catch what EMERGENCY means. Here no assumptions are needed, no commonsense is needed - it is right in front of us. Probably you still have to face the scarcity...only then will you truly realize what water-emergency is
This new post of yours doesnt really answer my questions.n what i meant by assumptions was that u assume that ac is a necessity which i said isnt.
Rather What really the need of the hour is to link the cities with new resources of water.n here i want to put an end to this debating session because i feel that there is going to be no end to my questions n to your answers too..had fun conversing with u..will be lookin forward to your next post
Well am glad to know that you are aware of what needs to be done at this time :) Nice having a word with you too! n hey...Happy Holi
Happy holi 2 u 2!!!!!
Jai HO!!!!
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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