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'Safe' Holi

Dos and Don'ts for a healthy festival
of colour.
Water-filled pistons, a glass of
bhang, gay abandon, no-holds-barred revelry in the night. An Indian Holi
is all this, and much more. It is a festival of colour… a time for merry
making and enjoyment.
However, the riot of colours often
gets tainted with untoward incidences. Children and adults indulge in an
unsafe and unhealthy Holi, which includes throwing water balloons at unsuspecting
passersby. Children also use gutter water, greasy oil colours, eggs and
even tar that can cause irreparable damage to skin and eyes. Therefore,
parents should inculcate the habit of a safe and clean Holi in their children.
Here are some dos and don'ts to for ensuring a healthy festival of colour.
Don'ts
-
Discourage your children to play Holi
with eggs, mud, tar or gutter water. Never turn a blind eye to such unclean
ways of celebration.
-
Avoid use of abir as it has flakes of
mica.
-
If you do not want your children and
family to participate in the revelry, have a nice and quiet holiday at
home. Your children should be confident enough to take the decision of
not participating in the Holi celebrations. Teach them not to fall prey
to peer pressure.
-
Teach your children to respect other's
independence during Holi. For instance, you should stop your children from
forcing Holi celebrations on a hesitant neighbour.
-
If you fancy a glass of bhang (grass
of the opium plant mashed and mixed with milk or sweets), go ahead. But
let your family not get carried away. Your children should not get addicted
to this intoxicating drink. Holi revelry should be contained within decent
limits.
-
Avoid loud and rowdy Holi parties, which
might spoil the family environment. Children get accustomed to such parties
at a very early age and tend to repeat the same type of celebrations later
in life.
-
Don't walk alone on the streets on the
Holi day. You'll be a sure target for miscreants.
Dos
-
Play Holi only with a group of close
friends and relatives as against strangers.
-
Use only powdered colour and water.
-
Keep a big bucket of water handy for
your children, so that they do not resort to gutter water and other unclean
sources.
-
Roll your windows up while driving your
car.
-
Be available at one venue throughout
Holi, especially if you want to avoid rowdy Holi revelers.
-
Always take some moments off to know
the cultural significance of Holi. It is a festival of colour, a harbinger
of the Spring season, and not a dirty game.
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