Sunday, a Fun day...a 'Holi' day!!!

A day that began with a craving for South Indian Breakfast, for idlis, dosas and vadas, something that rarely gets made at home, something P and I love, in my case I prefer to have them at Restaurants, they are simply better, a day that ended with a flourish, at the Company’s apartment building.

I have always been fascinated with vibrant colours, on clothes, in houses, in gardens, around the city and on faces. This is precisely why am mesmerised by this small city, these colours are everywhere. When it comes to 'Holi', I love to douse people with colours, when it's my turn, I prefer to hide. Despite the fun and frolic associated with the festival, I choose to stay away and P is in tandem with me.

The Das’ and us decide to have a quiet South Indian brunch at ‘Royal India’. This place, in our experience has always been consistent with their ‘chow’ and their personal touch makes it more welcoming. We are the only ones around at noon, we walk around sloppily, laugh loudly, talk carelessly, all in gay abandon. We order our vadas, idlis, dosas and, mutton pepper fry for that hint of 'carnivourism'. We get talking about the day ahead, the day that has just gone by, to think we just met the previous day. I believe, it’s not what one eats but the captivating company that one shares during these food trips that makes it special. Yes, food is a very important accessory, especially for us. We take our own sweet time over this delightful brunch, the end is spiced up with a lovely cold cardamom milk, compliments of the Restaurant.

We decide to go for a drive, to this quaint little shack by the lake called ‘Riviera’. We reach 'Riviera' and find the place closed, we also meet a friendly colleague of P’s, whom he can't recognize. We drive back to the main road and towards the Golf area, we decide to go to Le Centaure, a small Horse Club, we check out the magnificent stallions in their stables and then go up to the watch tower to soak in the landscape that spreads out in front of us. The most prominent landmark in Lubumbashi is in sight, the Gecamines Plant. After a few pictures we drive to Cercle Hippique de Lubumbashi ( hope I’ve got the name right ). On our way we pass through a crowd, of people, vehicles and buildings, the view abruptly becomes panoramic, the road itself goes up and down. Among the cloud of trees is the picturesque Horse Club owned by the M Forrest group, vast, scenic and quiet. The Restaurant is charming and outdoors, with a view of their Show Jumping course and the stables on the side. A lovely gallery overlooks the course. Can’t wait to have a nice long lunch there. After going through the schedule of their show jumping events, we move away from the little ‘countryside’ on to the road again. We go around a few more residential colonies and head home to the Das’ for some ‘chai’.

We haven’t had our ‘chai’ yet, Das has a Eureka moment. We decide to visit the other apartment mates for some 'Holi' fun. All of them seem to be in deep slumber, even a cricket match involving India attracts no attention. We decide to wait until one door opens for us, the Patels are first. We welcome ourselves in with a palette of colours and smear the dazed faces with them. After a glass of juice, we  move on to the Agarwals with the Patels, some snacks and ‘chai’ this time, the Agarwals included, we move to the Modis, with the Modis to the Bhattacharyas,  after a few 'pakodas', we go to the second of the Das’ for coffee. We think we are done with the 'Holi' fun but not yet. The final stop is at Saishree and Das’s for some cut fruits. By now we are huddled around playing 'musical chairs', with the kids playing in the centre. P and I stay back for an impromptu ‘un-Holi’ dinner with them. Now the day ends.

Am still charged when we return home, when it is time to sleep I fight it. I want to talk about the day, I want to write about it, I want to relive it but hubby dear is already fast asleep. I go through the day on my own, over and over again, like a song in my head. I must have fallen asleep sometime, when I wake up I realise it’s Monday and it’s time for my blues.

A day that became ‘Holi’!!!

Diwali at Lubumbashi

I remember, Diwali was huge when we lived in the BHELTownship at Trichy, we looked forward to the next one even before the ongoing festival saw the last of its fireworks. It was all about firecrackers, sweets and new clothes. My brother and I were even branded ‘Pandis’ by our ‘Mallu’ Cousins for being too ‘Tamil’ and for not making an effort to be ‘Mallu’. We were never offended by that remark, because we were infact more 'Tamil'. Once we relocated to Chennai, we found it stressful to go about celebrating Diwali with the same amount of vigour, the main road travelled right by our door step and we did not find enough space and company to fire our more sophisticated crackers. Slowly we weaned away from active participation and resorted to just being the audience. Then came a phase when I couldn’t  take the noise anymore, to purposely staying away in solidarity with the child workers employed in the Industry. The Diwali delicacies were always a hit, but were not painstakingly made at home anymore, we did not buy them either, boxes came from work and some delivered by contacts from work, in the end it became quite an effort to finish them.

Fast forward to Lubumbashi. We came here with no expectations, none at all, of the place or people. Lubumbashi has surpassed all our expectations though, in 6 months I feel so much at home already. I was planning to learn Swahili, switched to French when I learnt most people spoke the language, being the official language of DRC, well, French has a more universal appeal too. However when I went for my 1st Kitty party, I realised I had to learn Gujrati as well. Gujratis are to Africa as Malayalis are to the Middle East. Today am happy to see Indians, be it ‘Mallus’, ‘Tallus’, ‘Gujjus’, ‘Bongs’…anybody Indian, and I don't have to strain my eyes at all, I see them everywhere. In my estimate there are about 1000 families.

This year, we had no idea how we were going to usher in the festival till a week before Diwali. Then the invitations came pouring in. The 1st one from the Tamil Community here ( was there one??? ). We were told there were 10-12 families and many more bachelors. We were looking forward to meeting them. Then we heard, my husband’s work place was organizing a private party at an Indian Restaurant. Both parties at the same time, same day, one day after Diwali. How were we going to prioritise?? We heard the Indian Community was holding a carnival at the Temple Premises on Diwali Eve. This temple is a work-in-progress, and the 1st in Lubumbashi.

I couldn’t wait for the events to unfold, the same exuberance I had as a child came pounding in, I was like a cat on a hot tin roof. Have we ever heard of an event unfolding without hiccups??? Rain came showering furiously…Love the rains, but not when am going out, not when my childhood enthusiasm to be part of the Diwali festivities is back again, not when it's my first Diwali here. The Rain Gods were kind though…very kind. Rain stopped just short of the Diwali ‘Muhurtham’. Diyas on, should I call them diyas??? Glorified tea candles more like it, scented too, apple, chocolate, citrus, lavender and cinnamon…a mish mash of perfumes. Never mind…the light emanating from them was more important. Dressed in a traditional maroon and mustard Salwar Kameez, and heavy jewellery, we reached the Temple premises for more display of colour and light, ending with a short burst of fireworks and dinner. Back home sleepy, but electrifyingly  fulfilled. The child in me was thoroughly rejoiced. 

The next day, Saturday, a working day, Diwali boom still in the air, we are pondering how to make an appearance at both parties…more, how to enjoy them both. The benevolent Rain Gods decide precipitation can't be held back, they decide to celebrate their own Diwali before our parties begin. Hailstones come crashing in around 5pm. For an hour or so, it was thunderous, and painful on the collecting hands. So beautiful!!! Truly thoughtful gesture, all was done before 7pm. No room for traditional wear today with water everywhere, we reached the venue to celebrate with the Tamil Community first, one of the first ones to arrive, not very unusual, carrying a very non-traditional tray of brownies. We barely say hello before we have to wave our goodbyes, to arrive at the Indian Restaurant to celebrate with my Husband’s colleagues and their families. Games had already begun, we were punished for arriving late, a request for song and dance was met with reluctance, hence substituted with a short speech from both of us. Those people who hadn’t seen the reclusive Premkumar family…there!!! A lavish Indian Spread, a game of Tambola, Bollywood Music and disorganized and ‘rhythmless’ dancing on the makeshift dance floor. Typically Indian and fun!!! It was time to shut shop at midnight, got back home sleepy yet again....but extremely happy.

The Finale was to take place in the evening on Sunday at the Temple Premises, again…starting with games and ending with dinner. After a hectic Friday and Saturday, most people probably thought the same…'we are not going to win anything’ and ‘let’s get ready for Monday’. We decided to skip the do after reaching the venue and finding a small count of people, for a simple Chinese dinner at the Greek Club. Nothing traditional about it. At the end of the Weekend…all I have is…

What a fabulous Diwali…happy, colourful and safe…just like I had wished all my Friends and Family.