"I live in fear of Holi. The morning of the festival, you'll find me holed up indoors. In the days running up to it, I become anxious whenever I pass through residential areas where the streets are usually covered in the remains of burst water balloons. It reminds me of the sense of horror that came during dodgeball hour in school. No offense but to me, Holi is a violent sport that just looks great in photos,” shares 32-year-old Revati Joshi.

The advertising professional is among the countless women who dread the festival of colours. Celebrated as a day when we are supposed to let bygones be bygones, and mend fences, it is no wonder the sentiment of Holi is that of ‘anything goes’. Outlining the long term impact that unruly Holi celebrations can leave upon people, Arpita Mukherjee, a Bengaluru based marketing professional recalls, “Not to take away from the few fun Holi sessions I've had with close friends, but there are quite a few that have scarred me for life.”