“Begum Bazar ki Holi ka scene hi alag rehta. Every year, we all come together—no calls, no messages needed, everyone just knows where to be.

It always reminds me of school. Back then, playing Holi was strictly not allowed, but koun sunta tha? We’d sneak in small packets of color, and the second that last bell rang, it was pure chaos. Water bottles became pichkaris, and nobody reached home without a uniform stained in pink or green.

Now, we’ve become a bit more mindful. We stick to organic colors for our skin but the josh is exactly the same.

The festivities start a day early with the Holi Ki Baraat procession—once that hits the streets on the eve of Holi, you know the festival has officially begun.

For us, it’s not even about the colors anymore. It’s about catching up with the same faces year after year and celebrating without any barriers. No matter how much the city changes, Begum Bazar keeps that festive spirit alive.”