It was summer holidays during my first year at college and my stepmother suggested that we visit her sister's place for holi as otherwise only the two of us were alone this time at home. There was her sister, Shiney aunty who was into her mid forties by then just like my step mother, and her daughter Shivani who was of my age, and in addition to that, also there was a relative of Shiney aunt, Anu, who was around in her early thirties.
Early in the morning of holi, Shiney Aunty announced that it was our family's tradition, especially for women, to play holi wearing a blouse and petticoat alone, with no saree wrapped around. I assumed it was the first time for Shivani too to experience it as Anu.
We didn't think much and we were all very comfortable and casual about the whole thing, even though there was some degree of excitement and anticipation among all the five of us I suppose.
The plan was to play holi in the garden after breakfast. It was already very hot and humid, the kind which is characteristic to Indian summers, but it was not yet unbearable.