Children from SOS Chidlren's Village Bhubaneshwar in a happy mood…

Children from SOS Chidlren's Village Bhubaneshwar in a happy mood on the occassion of the Holi festival.

As I've mentioned before in previous conversations with Mary, an important part of bringing up children at SOS villages is that they are part of the local community and experience the traditions of their culture. Here is a wonderful, fun example of this. It is the Holi festival and here is a little report I found that talks about it.

"How I wish there was a day when I'm allowed to do all kinds of silly things, I can play with water, balloons and colours. Throw water and colours on adults and this is not bad behaviour." This is the wish of a four-year-old girl in SOS Children's Village Bhopal and probably this is also a desire of children across the globe. Holi is such a festival where children can let go and fulfill all their fancies.

The spring festival of Holi is celebrated throughout India on the day after full moon in the month of March. Holi was celebrated with great zeal and vigour in SOS Children's Village Bhopal. Children, mothers and co-workers gathered in the village ground in the morning and drenched each other with colours. They all sang, danced and had fun. Small children squirted coloured water on each other and enjoyed the festival. Within a few hours the playground became a pool of colours and children were running here and there like colourful butterflies.

The children insisted that their mother prepared their favourite dish 'Podopitha' (a sweet dish) which is prepared with lentil, rice, sugar, dry fruits and pure ghee. All children together helped their mother to prepare other dishes for the festival.