Holi Stars: Science Fiction

The paints were in huge bags, all the reds and oranges of luck, ready for Holi, the celebration of color and light. All over the station, men were about to be ambushed by women spraying water and paint. The alien visitors had all been warned and tested to see if there were any possible allergic reactions that might require them to stay in their quarters for the week. The maintenance staff had been briefed, mostly that they should just worry about hazards on the floor and making sure signage was clear. Nobody would begrudge splatters of red and orange along the corridor walls for the next--


Inspiration: This picture. http://www.flickr.com/photos/subirbasak/6805819423/
Story Potential: High.
Notes: This has good potential, not so much because of the story idea this creates, as because I think there is a dearth of science fiction stories that encompass holidays, particularly non-North American holidays. Christmas is the exception, and yet there is always a hunger for something seasonal. The celebration of light and life in a different culture--that should fit in. Oh, and this is Holi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi