Source: Wahid Khan

“I was coming from a Holi celebration and I decided to take a public bus despite the arguments of friends that I should just take a rikshaw because people might react to it as I was all in colors. I wanted to see people’s reaction and more than that I wanted to use a public space to celebrate diversity and to let people think about it. I came across many people, and everyone perceived that I am a Hindu and told me how they know “people of my community”.

This was my favorite conversation on a bus. I sat next to an uncle.

Uncle: (with a great sympathy) Why are you working in such a young age?
Me: Sorry, what do you mean?
Uncle: You are a color worker right?
Me: (laughed) No uncle, actually I am coming from a Holi celebration.
Uncle: Oh, Hindu brother? Me: No, I am from a Muslim family.
Uncle: what? So you celebrated Holi? And rest of them were Muslims as well?
Me: Yes, and some of our friends were Hindus and we celebrated Holi in a church.
Uncle: Beta, you are a Muslim, and… (There was another uncle sitting in the seat behind us, he interrupted): Oh bhai, if colors bring these kids together and they can celebrate it together with the minority, why do you have to bring in religion? That’s a great thing.
Uncle: Well, we were raised by telling us that Hindu and Muslims can not be together. (The other uncle shakes his head)
Me: That is where everything went wrong.

Happy Holi! Uncle laughs.

It was a great day and glad to see Pakistan accepting other cultures and religions!”