KARACHI: The two vendors setting up stall in the big ground behind the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on M.A. Jinnah Road looked pleased to be doing good business on Wednesday.

There was still a day left before Holi, the Hindu festival of colour, but everyone wanted to hoard the colours, especially the fast colours, which don’t wash off easily.

Fast colours are not allowed for use by the community elders but who can stop naughty kids? Even the double price of Rs20 per packet could not discourage them from demanding hard colours, which were in the shape of little beads or crystals. Meanwhile, the harmless variety, water colours, was available only for Rs10 per packet.

There were also colour bombs or smoke colours that create clouds of colour that leave you coughing, sneezing or rubbing your eyes available for Rs250 a packet. And there were the water balloons to fill up with liquid colour to be dropped over unassuming heads or aimed to burst all over poor innocent souls available at Rs200 per packet.

But it being Holi, hardly any soul can be described as ‘poor’ or ‘innocent’. Around Holi, everyone is up to mischief, even the vendor selling fast colours.

Anil Kumar said that he made the washable powder colours by himself with corn flour.

“I stay up the entire night to prepare the colours and pack them into little plastic packets,” he said, adding that pink and red colours are the most popular.

“Both colours are referred to as gulaal. Meanwhile, for contrast people also buy green, purple blue and yellow,” he added.

With so much on offer at his little shop, one suggested that he also think of selling detergent powder as it would also be very much needed after helping folks paint the town red, or green, purple blue or yellow for that matter. “Oh, my father’s shop, Anil General Store, is right behind this ground. You are welcome to buy detergent and nylon soap from there,” he smiled.

This year there is also some confusion regarding the Holi festival date. In some cities it is being celebrated on Thursday (today) and in some on Friday (tomorrow).

According to the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir management, the festival is being celebrated a day early in Karachi due to its actual date clashing with Shab-i-Barat.

“Our management decided that it was better this way. But we will also be continuing our celebrations on Friday. The burning of the Holi Mata will take place on Thursday while the festival where we splash colours will begin on Thursday and continue on Friday,” said a temple official.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2022