Holi Memories of 90s Rural Kids

Holi festival comes when summer begins. At that time, palash flowers bloom and seem to tell everyone that it is time to bring colors into life.

My friends and I used to plan our Holi celebration almost one month in advance. There were five to seven of us. For Holika Dahan, we needed dry cow or buffalo dung cakes (gaurya) and dry wood. In those days, these things were not available for sale in shops.

So we had to collect them ourselves. Sometimes we went door to door asking people in the name of Holi. Sometimes, late at night, we went to faraway farms, even crossing the Painganga River, to collect dry wood and dung cakes that were kept there. It was risky, because if a farmer caught us, we could get into trouble. Everything depended on planning, teamwork, and courage.

Looking back today, I feel lucky that our parents trusted us. They allowed us to go out at night without too many questions. Nowadays, this kind of freedom is rare. Times have changed, and most children stay much closer to home.

We always made a proper plan. First, around 7 pm, we searched for two or three donkeys and tied them near a tree as this idea came to our one of great friend, and no one knows that, that why we achieve out collection target very fast. After dinner, around 10 pm, we all gathered and started our mission.

After reaching the target farm, one friend climbed a tree to keep watch and check if anyone was coming. If he gave a positive signal, the rest of us quickly collected the wood and gaurya from where it was stored. We filled two or three sacks, loaded them onto the donkeys, and ran away at hometown.

After every successful heist, we stored everything at our secret place. Other groups from nearby colonies were also collecting the same things, so secrecy was very important. After almost one month, we had around 1,000 to 1,200 dung cakes and plenty of dry wood. When everyone agreed that it was enough, we stopped collecting more.

On the day of Holi, we arranged the gaurya and wood around a big erandel (castor) tree. The structure was round and strong. After it was ready, all the families from the colony gathered. We performed puja and then lit the Holika fire with joy and happiness.

After the families went back home, we friends stayed together. We teased each other, laughed, and shouted funny traditional Holi lines like:

“Holi maai, Holi maai, as kasa kela,
Rajuchya ghar varun gadhad gela!”

and

“Holi re Holi, purnachi poli,
Sahebachya gadi var bandukichi goli!”

We played, teased, and celebrated freely. Today, no one close to us really understands how we enjoyed those days.

Those were the adventures of 90s rural kids—simple life, strong friendships, and unforgettable memories.
East or west, 90s rural kids were the best.