suzanne in the sub continent

holi is the hindu festival of colour, a celebration of the end of the cold period and the beginning of the hot season, and an excuse for anyone and everyone to go wild in the streets. i was somewhat anxious about holi arriving, as we'd been warned to keep the hostel gates shut and wear only our oldest and scruffiest clothes. as a woman i was also warned to watch out for men's roaming hands... just what was going to happen to me?

there are wet holis and dry holis, depending on whether or not water is mixed with the coloured powder that was on sale in shops everywhere. this year was a dry holi and we bought each child a pack of bright coloured dye, plus a few water guns, because 'dry holi' or not, rules are never adhered to india. hair and body fully oiled to prevent permanent staining, we went to our science teacher's house to play. married to the chief brigadier of this region, she enjoys the perks of a high-end army life and lives in a mansion surrounded by vast lawns and incredible flowers, as colourful as our faces became.

playing holi was a lot of fun and continued in the street back home, where we threw water-filled balloons at our neighbours and laughed at the drunks stumbling by (drunk people are rare in india, compared to in the uk, but when you do see them they are like cartoon caricatures, unable to walk in a straight line and singing at the tops of their voices).

easter sunday was a tranquil affair by comparison, with a chocolate hunt and dance performances. i accompanied our two christian children to church in the morning, or rather i waited outside as the hindi service took place inside to loud indian music. we have hindu, christian, muslim and buddhist children (with me the non-religious infidel in their midst) and we celebrate the festivals of all the respective faiths.

we're getting up at 4:45am these days to practise for the start of school next week. i only ever used to see that time in the morning because i hadn't yet gone to bed. waking now at this time i realise it is the hour of the dog chorus (and there are many dogs), which comes before the bird chorus. with an early breakfast it's then a long time til lunch. if only there was something other than rice and dahl... in fact, as it's my off day, i just might go and make myself some mashed potatoes instead, perhaps even with a bit of tomatoe sauce.

salwa kameses (the popular long dress and baggy trouser suits) have given way to sarees as summer hits north india. last night i experienced my first indian wedding, or at least a small part of an indian wedding, because these functions last for days. i attended the reception party of some neighbours of my friend uma and was privileged to witness the impressive spectacle of an indian bride. uma dressed me up in a fabulous saree and i hope that my unusual presence at the event did not detract too much attention from the happy couple (although i didn't see either one smiling that much). the elaborate decorations on and around the new husband and wife were in stark contrast to the mess of food and plastic cups that littered the huge flashing marquee. having taken delight in spending a couple of hours getting ready, trying on an assortment of uma's sarees and grappling with the metres of slippery fabric, we left the reception pretty quickly, as soon as we had queued up to have our pictures taken with the bride and groom and eaten a bit of the vast array of food. weddings are big business in india and i shudder to think how much last night's affair cost. i loved wearing a saree, however, and have been lent a couple to practise with; it's really quite important to tie them up correctly.

the children are at home for just another few weeks before they start going to school. now is a time of entrance tests and uniform puchasing, books, pens, shoes and bags. as a treat for all their hard work, we all went to a river at the weekend to swim, which was heavenly. modesty demanded i wear clothes to swim but that could not stop me from delighting in the rare pleasure of being in water. it's getting hotter here every day and lunchtime siestas are starting to make a lot of sense.

i've just realised that i have my dress on inside out, so am going to run home before anyone notices. it seems i haven't quite mastered the art of indian clothes yet after all ...