India the Colorful

It was a business trip over 10 years ago.  It started with a 30+ hour flight and a stop, overnight in a tiny and hot airport with no sitting area.  I bought a bottle of water and sat on my luggage for six hours.  The sleeping pills didn’t work; so I was more than exhausted.  I was not interested or excited.  Just tired.  Thankfully my driver was waiting for me when I arrived.  The first thing I noticed when I finally got in the car and we took off was the noise.  Then the smells.  And the colors.  Although I was drained, I couldn’t help it.  I was now more than excited.  We had a lot of work to do in 2 ½ weeks, but at that moment all I could think of was that I was in India. I was in I-N-D-I-A!  My driver kept talking and I remember nodding and thanking him but I was enthralled with everything around us.  On the same street we were traveling were other cars, buses and taxis; but also motortaxis, bikes,  people, animals; all types of animals. And the colors!  There were colors everywhere. Although the men seemed to be dressed in very neutral browns and grays, the women all wore the most beautiful bright colored clothing I had ever seen.  Growing up in New York, I’m accustomed to wearing a LOT of black and gray.  Here, all the women wore the most fantastic hues of blues, greens, pinks, corals, aquas, yellows, reds, and so many decorated with the most intricate beads and sparkling effects.  I was in heaven. 

We went to work and things got as busy as they could with the team working very long hours and very little time to tour the city and look around.  Then came Sunday and our driver was nice enough to take us to look around ‘from the car’ so we could be safe.  Then we were given a wonderful gift – the Festival of Holi.  It’s a springtime festival that’s called the festival of color or the festival of love.  Droves of youth littered the streets throwing colorful powder at each other.  I saw so many children and adults running and laughing.  Others driving through on bikes were ‘lucky’ too and got the colored powder thrown at them.  People all around us looked just beautiful and colorful.  I wished that I was out there playing with everyone. 

The project went great and the team headed back home. I was grateful to have been part of this.  Part of India for just a few days.  And I left with a longing for more color in my life.