“There is something special about celebrating Holi thousands of kilometres away from home…,” Vaishali Gupta could go on and on. A native of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Vaishali was among the hundreds of techies who had a blast celebrating Holi on the Technopark campus.
In fact, the North Indians in the IT hub made the most of the celebrations organised by UST Global at the Amphitheatre in Bhavani Atrium. It was an evening awash with colours, loads of fun, music and games. The festivities were open to all. “Standing outside, the employees played drums, inviting all those who passed by to join the festivities. In fact, it was a large crowd that marched into the Amphitheatre for the celebrations,” says Rohan Chowdhary, who hails from Kolkata.
Those who gathered at the Amphitheatre were treated to some great dance performances by the UST Dance Club.
Playing with colours was the highlight. It was ensured that the colours were safe. “We had so much fun that at the end of it we were not able to recognise each other,” Rohan says. He adds: “When I came to Thiruvananthapuram last year, I was shocked to learn that there isn't a holiday on Holi. But the celebrations here made up for that.”
The Amphitheatre was also abuzz with on-the-spot events like paani puri eating competition. “Well, it didn't last long, since there were too many contestants and the paani puris got over so fast!” says Vaishali, who has been working with UST for nearly a year now. Yes, she missed home a lot. “I miss my dear and near ones. And, of course, gujiyas and mathris (sweets and snacks associated with Holi),” she adds.
Generally, the employees from other States do meet up every Holi to play with colours. “They aren't allowed to do it in the office, so they have all the fun in an open space. And it is only after changing their dress that they can come back to duty,” says an official with Infosys. This time, the company will be having Holi celebration next week. “There is shortage of water on the campus right now and so we've postponed it. We will have games, such as treasure hunt, and, of course, playing with colours,” the official added.
