CHENNAI: Believe it or not, Chennai will have its first ‘Water Balloon fight’ come July. And no, this isn’t just for kids. With 40,000 water balloons to be laid out on a massive four acre football field at the Thoraipakkam Government Higher Secondary School, it’s time to get your selfie stick ready. Though you may need to protect it with a raincoat.
And it gets better. By spending a few hundred bucks to throw balloons at your friends, you will be helping an underprivileged child get some ‘playtime’ as well. The 24-year-old behind the initiative, Avinash Ravishankar says, “This event is a fundraiser for kids who want to pursue dreams beyond academics, like dance, karate or guitar lessons.”
Avinash’s NGO ‘Prayag’, has raised funds for over 9,000 children across Tamil Nadu in the last three years, through events such as marathons and concerts. “But this time, we wanted to do something different. I guess all those YouTube videos of water balloon fights abroad gave me this idea,” he says.
The next step was to give it a test run on a friend’s terrace. Imagine five youngsters and 100 water balloons. Clearly the experience got a thumbs up!
And there’s only one rule. “Do not aim for the face,” Avinash warns, or you may get booted out with a splash. And there’s no limit to the number of balloons. “Pick up as many as you can handle,” he adds with a laugh.
The event is open to anyone eight years and above; so if you want to make this a family outing, he assures us, your paati is welcome as well if she’s up for a splash!