Holi

Last night and today, Hindus across India celebrate Holi, a festival in celebration of the miraculous escape of a devoted follower of Vishnu from the fire he was thrown into by the will of his father, the king of demons. Hindus celebrate the night of a full moon in early Spring with a huge bonfire to celebrate the death of Holika, the demon sister of Hiranyakashipu, the king of demons and father of Prahlad (the devotee), as she fell threw Prahlad into the flames. You can read more about Holi here.
So last night I went down the hill to Chardukaan and waited for the celebration to begin. Dozens of people began to gather and a huge bonfire was lit in the street. Bags of powder were distributed and as the flames began to climb everyone went around rubbing colors on each others foreheads, cheeks, hair, until their entire faces were covered in color. All the while everyone greets each other with happy holi and a hug. Some of the older men and women gave the youngers a short blessing. Offerings were made to the gods and then shared amongs the gathering to eat. Some of the older boys went off in a hidden corner to drink and smoke. Others continued to run around throwing the colored powders at everyone.
It was interesting to watch. The colors were bright and the fire warm and comforting, but it was sobering to think of how the festival came about and what it all meant. I sat down on some steps nearby and observed. The older men made their rounds and covered my face and hair with color. A few of the older boys sat with me and shared with me that they were Christian. They came to watch and hang out with friends because there is somewhat of an expectation of all to participate. It was interesting to watch them - as they were given the offering grain to eat, they quietly pocketed it instead of eating. I couldn't remember what the Bible says about food offered to false gods but I followed their lead! They shared how difficult it is to be Christian among Hindus. There is a perception among them that Hindus become Christian to become rich or because of some sort of coersion. I could tell in their quiet demeanor during the festival that it was hard to watch their friends celebrating something apart from the Truth.
After most had left and the bonfire was dying down, the music came. They beat and tapped on a really cool drum exciting beats. The boys and men who remained danced like crazy men! It's so weird to see the completely reversed behaviors from what I'm used to seeing. Men dancing close - CLOSE - to other men. Suggestive hip shaking and graceful arm movements. One man, with a shawl around his head pretended to dance like a woman and all the other men cheered him on as he danced quite convincingly... like a girl. Weird.
There is a lot to think about with this festival and its left me with a weird taste in my mouth. It's fun and exciting and filled with color but at the same time so wrapped around lies and falsehoods. Its almost like a glimpse of the Old Testament times. I came home and washed my face and hair in the cold water. It was creepy as blood red water poured off my head as I washed. It made me think of how unclean we are before God. How when he washes us with his grace he's not just removing little patches of mud off our skin or some dust out of our hair but its bloodstains that won't go away. We're covered in this sin that eats away at us because we are exposed before him in it. And then when we finally see him, the stains are gone. The blood we scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed with good deeds and sacrifice and restraint and penance is removed in an instant with the cleansing power of his Blood. We are made clean and holy before him.
I don't think I will easily forget washing my face and hair. The water was frigid and the color seemed never to stop pouring from my head. Even though there is still red in my hair I am so glad that my soul is white as snow because my Savior did for me what I could not.