Childhood memories. They always find a way to come back, when you least expect them.

When I was young, Holi and Diwali meant one thing – packing our bags and heading to my grandparents’ home.

And the best part? Trains! A new adventure every time. The ultimate battle with my brother – who will get the coveted window seat. Whoever won got the first glimpse into nature’s grand kaleidoscope, a breathtaking mix of colors, fields, rivers, and endless sky.

It was on one such journey that I first noticed them – the fiery, feisty Palash flowers. I remember staring, mesmerized. A tree with only flowers, no leaves? It felt almost magical.

My parents explained, that it was because of spring season – the leaves had shed, leaving behind a blazing canopy of orange. No wonder they are called flame of the forest.

But the magic didn’t stop there. At my grandparents’ home, I discovered another wonder – Holi colors made from these very flowers. That Holi, we played not just with color, but with the fragrance of Palash, a scent that lingers in my senses even today.

As they say, childhood memories come back, every year around this time, Delhi NCR comes alive with these fiery feisty flowers. Though they are Semal flowers but remind you of Palash only due to their similar color and the same blazing canopy of orange.

For many, they are just flowers.

For me, they are childhood, wrapped in nostalgia, dipped in color, and sprinkled with the warmth of family.

May your Holi be just like the Palash – vibrant, fragrant, and full of love.

Happy Holi!