NATIONAL10 [RELIGION (Spotlight Weelky)]

Menacing Turn

The traditional festival of color takes a dangerous turn as young men use it as an opportunity to harass young women

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

When she left home in the morning to take part in a march to mark the 91st International Women's Day (on March 8), little did Sangita Poudel know what was in store for her.

A resident of Dhading district, 18-year-old Poudel had arrived at the district headquarters, Dhadingbesi, to celebrate the day along with her friends. But she ended up falling unconscious for hours in the local hospital.

On the day women around the world marked their movement for liberation, a teen-age girl in Nepal's village became the victim of an enduring form of sexual harassment.

Poudel was the victim of the ugly turn that the Holi festival has been taking in recent years. A misguided youth hit her hard with a water-filled balloon. It hit her chest with enough force to knock her unconscious for hours.

This is but an example how the youth, specially teen-age boys, are destroying the essence of Holi festival. In their perverse view, Holi gives them the license to throw balloons at girls and young women.

What was once a festival of building friendship has now taken an offensive turn. The traditional festival of colors has now become single most-feared festival among women.

A week before Holi actually arrived, girls and young women deserted Kathmandu's streets for fear of being hit with that dreaded balloon. Roadside hoodlums use balloons filled with water and other substances as missiles to hit innocent passers-by - invariably teen-age girls. Even small boys are seen mimicking seniors and throwing these ëlolas' at beleaguered girls scurrying for safety.

More often than not, these lolas physically hurt the victims. Doctors say that if these water-filled missile land with force on the head or the eyes, they can cause permanent injuries.

Besides, there is no guarantee that these lolas are filled with clean water. In a water-scarce city, people are found to make use of dirty water, mud and hazardous colors.

What is more disturbing is the fact that, with each passing year, the festival is gaining more notoriety. So is the frequency of harassment. This year the festival was celebrated on March 9 (in hills, including Kathmandu Valley) and on March 10 (in the terai). However, the lolas started flying around more than a week earlier.

Although the authorities promise strict action against such wayward behavior, they have failed to stop this disturbing development. Apart from publishing a public notice, the Home Ministry has not done anything.

The increasing sense of lawlessness is more pronounced during the Holi season, when girls and young women fear to walk around the streets. Holi has been celebrated since time immemorial. In India, the festival is celebrated more vigorously. The festival marks the killing of demoness Holika by Lord Vishnu to save his devotee Prahlad.

Sociologists say unless society checks such disturbing tendencies in time, people will slowly begin to dissociate themselves from the festival. And that would be another real tragedy.