…in a COVID Holi?
For a festival that’s been around for thousands of years, Holi had to’ve survived all kinds of pandemics and pandemonium! Like invasions from the West by adventurers like Alexander, followed by the Persians, Moghuls and British etc, to the Huns from the East. The most recent depredations by the British, which precipitated famines that killed at least FIFTY MILLION, are the most horrifying; due, ironically, to their meticulous record- keeping. As late as 1943, some 3 million Bengalis died, not from drought, but from their grains being shipped out for the “war effort”.
But Holi came out unscathed.
In fact, Holi might’ve come out even stronger, since its message of “good overcoming evil” was probably the only thing that kept hope – even though not bodies! – alive. So, Holi will survive this COVID-19 pandemic of this second decade in this third millennium. But, just like human destructive elements like Churchill, natural disasters like this virus-transmitted killing machine need us poor slobs at the receiving end to do our part. Evil isn’t overcome on its lonesome!
So, today, on Holi 2021, let’s commemorate Holi sensibly. We’ve all been reading, hearing and seeing the news: right this minute, both the rate of infection and the rate of dying are spiking from COVID-19. We know that the Government is doing its darndest to vaccinate, but with only India and China sparing the rest of the world a thought, the supply to vaccinate the 80% to give us “herd immunity” ain’t gonna be easy. Might take us the rest of the year. And even then, we can’t predict what mutating variants are forthcoming – we just KNOW they are.
So, your Eyewitness hopes that last night, those of you who went to witness the burning of the Holika were wearing your masks and keeping your social distance. And when you were eating your roasted corn or coconuts, you kept away from the chanting crowd. And today, when you’re running around splashing water on folks in the morning hours, there’s absolutely no reason to take off your masks or get closer than the minimum 3 feet. Surely, dear reader, you can splash someone from that distance with your plastic bucket!?
And ditto in the afternoon, when you’ve changed into your cricketing whites to play with abeer and powder. And when offered those delectable, mouth-watering sweets, tell your friends, neighbours and families to put them in a bag for you to take home. Think of it like collecting sweets in a Guyanese version of “trick and treat” – “wet and treat”!
Phagwa, we know, has adapted itself to all sorts of contingencies…but it’s really us who have to adapt.
Remember we’ve got to survive to fight the good fight. Happy Holi!
…across the divides
There’s a letter in the press insisting that we should “socialize and network across ethnic communities” if we’re to start pulling ourselves out of this mess we’re in. Makes sense to your Eyewitness. Much of our hostilities come from the negative stereotypes we’ve formed of each other. And these stereotypes can be wiped out only if there’s more interaction between our warring tribes, to show that we ain’t that different from each other!
Well, today we have a MANDATE to publicly reach across communities and literally “interact”. Holi is a PUBLIC HOLIDAY that encourages us to participate in its traditions – which is to douse each other with water, abeer and powder, all in good fun. Your Eyewitness has observed, with delight, the increasing instances of “playing” Holi across communities. The Albuoystown community has been in the forefront of this phenomenon, which should be emulated across Guyana.
Let the joyous spirit and message of Holi ring through our land!!
…NOT at CWI!
We know “cricket isn’t just a game”, but lots of sparks will fly at today’s CWI AGM. Two factions are competing to lead it, and it doesn’t seem they’ve played the game that teaches teamwork!
