Holika Dahan, gulaal, gujiyas - How tinseltown is gearing up for Holi

The festival of colour, Holi, brings everyone together and is celebrated with great gusto across the country. The entertainment industry is known to celebrate Holi in a fun way, throwing lavish parties and with celebrities sharing images extensively on their social media accounts. This year all the actors are excited to get drenched in colour and water on Holi, especially with the soaring temperatures. Adgully spoke to a cross-section of actors to know about any tradition or ritual that they follow on Holi, as well as what safety steps they recommend to all.

Deepika Singh

“We make traditional food and sweets on the day of choti Holi, particularly on the day of Holika Dahan. We make Gujiya, I make Malpua with Rabadi. There are a lot of things happening in the house, like we also make colour at home from beetroot, which is organic. Apart from Indian sweets, we also make some namkeen; the whole day we cook something or the other. We go for a puja in the evening on the day of Holika Dahan, where we do pheras around it. We follow that ritual every year. Next day, we first apply colour on Lord Krishna and then offer him bhog, which we prepare at home. We take a bath, wear new clothes then take blessings from our parents. Then we start playing Holi with others and hug one another. I think while doing so we also make sure not to waste water; also it makes the floor slippery, so we have to be careful with that when you have senior citizens around you or at home. Try and play with dry colours only as it is a festival of colour. Try to meet your family and friends, I think this is one festival where you forgive and forget and do not have to say sorry to each other. Just go and give a hug to everyone and forget all grievances and mistakes of everyone. The best thing about Holi is that it brings everyone close.”

Naman Shaw

“In our society, a day before Holi, we have a small ritual of Holika Dahan. On Holi, we start our day with sweets such as malpua. For lunch, we make mutton and puris. My uncle used to make mutton in Kolkata and as kids I have fond memories of having mutton and puri on Holi. I think it’s a very Bengali tradition.

With respect to safety measures, I don’t know why but since childhood we used to oil ourselves to save us from permanent colours. Thankfully nowadays it’s all about organic colours, so not much safety is required. Though I request my friends to be careful when putting colours, as one such incident happened in the past, where a friend of mine came from behind to put colour on my face and my eyes were open my cornea got scratched. So, I always put on glasses and go out to play Holi.”

Angad Hasija

“Every year, my family and I start Holi with the ritual of Holika Dahan, where we gather around the bonfire to pray and celebrate the victory of good over evil. It is a beautiful tradition that brings us together in spirit and joy. For a safe and enjoyable Holi, I recommend using organic colours and staying hydrated throughout the day. Also, don’t forget to apply a layer of coconut oil on your skin and hair to protect them from harsh chemicals.”

Yashashri Masurkar

“Growing up, Holi was always about laughter, music, and, of course, colours. My family and I have a tradition of preparing delicious sweets like gujiya and thandai, and then we head out to play Holi with our neighbours and friends. While playing Holi, safety should be everyone’s priority. I recommend wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes and applying a generous amount of coconut oil on your skin. Let’s celebrate responsibly and ensure everyone’s well-being.”

Jia Mustafa

“Holi is all about waking up early, spending time with my closest ones and keeping it safe and fun. I make sure I put some colour on my mom first before anyone else and then prep my skin and hair. I stick to just dry colour and avoid any hectic plans or parties. I would recommend keeping Holi as simple and safe as possible. Protecting the eyes with sunglasses, piling on a lot of sunscreen and using organic colours are all must-do’s on Holi.”

Sandiip Sikcand

“My ritual for Holi is not to play with colours, so my Holi is another holiday where I am just sitting at home catching up with family playing with Gucci and Pluto and just having a relaxing day at home. Having a thandaii without Bhaang and Jalebi at home or go to a place called Soho House, where all friends can meet up and chill with Bollywood music and having good fun, but there is no involvement of colour. So, I think that is the perfect Holi for me. I think just be very careful of colours that you use as there are a lot of synthetic colours which are not good for the skin. Please take care of your skin before you use colours. Please be tolerant. There are some people who don’t like to play Holi and we take the excuse of “Bura na maano Holi hai” and we drag everybody and everyone to play. There are people who do not want to play. Respect their wishes. People might be going through a bad time, mourning a loss, so please be tolerant and just enjoy Holi. Holi is a festival of laughter and happiness. Let it not be tears to anybody.”

Lucky Mehta

“Every year I celebrate this festival with my family, this year my father is not with me, he is no more. So, I don’t have any special plan this year. But like every year, I will start with my day with puja. I want to donate something in my father’s name. I do want to wish everyone to have a good and safe Holi. I wish in the coming year everyone’s life will be filled with colours and be happy. I also hope that everyone will stay connected with their families.”

Shriya Jha

“This comes as a surprise to many, but I love playing Holi with lots of gulal and water in pichkaris (balloons are a bit scary as they hurt) and dance and music. It is the same ritual every year. We get showered and apply gulaal as teeka to the deities in our temple. Then I normally rush to play Holi in our building or with friends outside. The best part is coming home hungry and tired and then being treated to gujiyas and dahi bhallas. Oh yes, play safe! don’t throw water balloons or things that could hurt people, use eco-friendly colours. Play with people who want to play and please don’t put colour on animals on the roads.”

Ansh Bagri

“I make sure that I watch Holika Dahan every year and take blessings from my elders in the family and also savour gujiyas on this special day. I would like to say that please don’t get intoxicated and get into mishaps. Play a happy and safe Holi.”

Shirin Sewani

“Holi is synonymous with delicious food and vibrant colours for me. Every year, I prepare a special Holi feast featuring traditional delicacies like pakoras and colourful sweets. This year, it is going to be special with my baby boy. I advise everyone to be cautious while playing Holi, especially around water bodies and crowded areas. Let’s keep the jokes rolling and the celebrations safe.”

Madirakshi Mundle

"Yes, I make it a point to peform a pooja for Holika as is custom. I grew up watching my mom and families
around me observe these rituals as well. Obviously cooking is a very important part of the festival mood! So we make the classic puran -poli at home with chana dal, nutmeg and jaggery. I rub some oil on my body and hair. I ensure I only let my friends use organic colors which do not cause
any harm to my skin, eyes and the body.
Have fun, enjoy holi and don’t put someone unnecessarily in harm’s way. It is not worth the risk."