Dancer and actress Rukmini Vijayakumar is looking forward to the festive season, a time she has cherished since childhood. On the fourth day of Navratri, associated with the color orange, we chat with her about the festival, her childhood memories of it, and what the color orange means to her, symbolizing enthusiasm and vitality. Recalling her fondest Navratri memories, Rukmini mentions setting up golu (gombe) as a child, growing ragi seeds with her brother and cousins, and holding competitions to determine the best part of the golu and the finest dolls. As a dancer accustomed to donning vibrant costumes, she reflects on the significance of orange. For her, orange evokes thoughts of the sun, flowers, the lingering hues of alta on her feet from childhood, as well as festive joy and community spirit. She believes that Indian festivals, renowned for their colorful celebrations, are synonymous with the hues of orange and yellow, signifying happiness and unity. Rukmini also shares that orange evokes a sense of jubilation paired with an inner drive for achievement. Her mother interjects, noting that, for her, orange signifies knowledge. Rukmini fondly recalls dancing dandiya during Navratri, an activity she eagerly anticipated as a child, as it was one of the few occasions she could go out at night under her strict mother's watchful eye. Though the dancing often left her feet sore, the joy and camaraderie of the celebrations were always worth it.Rukmini reflects on the evolution of festivals and notes that there are fewer Dandiya nights now compared to when she was young. She fondly remembers going to her teacher's house for dance class during Navratri, emphasizing the significance of Vijayadashami as a major day for dancing. Nowadays, her students come to her for dance classes on Vijayadashami, making it a special occasion for her.