Medha Yadav, a reporter reporting on the Holi festival in Mathura on March 14, had colours applied to her face against her will while explaining the significance of consent to people celebrating the festival. The episode occurred at Nand Bhavan temple in Nandgaon, a place famous for its Lathmar Holi practice, where women beat men with sticks playfully.
Yadav was talking to individuals at the festival when a man came suddenly and applied colour to her face. She got surrounded by a gulaal cloud, and as more people joined in, another man moved towards her to do the same. Yadav stopped him and questioned how he thought about consent, but a third individual stepped forward, brushing her aside and going on with the act. When she complained about women’s safety, she received a dismissive reaction.
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When she wrote an article later trying to highlight the importance of celebrating in a safe, respectful manner, another group of colour was hurled into her face. On X, she spoke on the issue: “To those who are wondering why do I need to go in the first place if I have an issue: so you are saying that such a mindset should still thrive and we keep searching for safe spaces? Meaning that such individuals should live long and we can’t even do our job, can’t even be part of any celebration of our own volition.”
She also went on to say, “No festival is bad, the individuals who celebrate it make its experience good or bad. This is not concerned with the condemnation of any religion or festival but has been derived based on the traits of a civilized and better society. And just like every other festival, Holi is also my favorite festival. Solutions are not found by changing the topic.”
