Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous Diwali !!This is my second Diwali away from home, in a string of 'away-from-home' Diwali's, a routine which looks kind of set now.
On the first away Diwali, I was in Mysore. Trying hard to catch a glimpse of those festive lights in the markets and houses. Dying to wear new clothes on each of those 5 days. Craving for Diwali faraal. And jumping at the distant sound of bursting of a cracker sitting in my hostel room, 25 km's away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Well, it was a different experience. I had watched a movie, first day first show, more of a premier of DON, the SRK one. This was a prohibited thing to do back home. Watching a movie in a theatre, that too on Laxmipujan day was considered a sin!!!! Actually, it never occurred to me as a kid that you could also celebrate Diwali, in such modern fashion !! :D
The saving grace that time had been a visit to a temple and some couriered faraal (puran poli,chakli and chiwda) from home. Mom's are incorrigible. The thought of enjoying all these pleasures without their kids around is torturous to them. Meriwali (as SRK says in kal ho na ho) is sending some stuff this time too :)
Some things to reminisce about.
I used to have a set of allotted tasks every year. Making torans (garlnads) for the house. Every year me and my bro would come up with some new ishtyle and decorate the front door and gallaries.
Then was the herculean task of drawing Rangoli. Herculean because, I would draw a single big rangoli for our entire neighborhood (my place and the neighbor aaji's place). That was the most fun activity. Everyone would try to help me out in their own ways. Aajoba used to get his big ruler and help me out aligning the dots. I was never a free hand person so would always draw the rangoli with dots and straight lines with as little curves as possible :) Then my brother and dad, would help me out choose the color scheme. It was a matter of neighborhood pride, you see, which house has the most colorful and spectacular rangoli. Mom would be the last person to take a peek along with aaji, too busy in the kitchen with a grand menu of Puran Polis, bhajji, saar (aamti) and rice. They would give critical remarks or try to suggest something different, which I would just shrug off saying, they should be happy with the 3 hours of collective efforts!!
The last task used to be arranging the living room, lighting lanterns, illuminating every nook and corner of the house, inviting goddess Laxmi to enlighten our lives (that's the childhood story I have been told and come to believe).
Well, the list ends here. Shows how much my mom trusts me!!
No heavy duty work my way :D
There were some routines which I secretly detested as a kid. The get togethers for faraal, where entire neighborhood families will come over. The joshi's today and the Sharma's tomorrow. For the sole reason that, I would never finish off the stuff in my plate, only to get sneers and booos from other kids. Thankfully mom-dad were too sweet to say anything in front of everyone!! I still wonder how some kids can eat just anything in their plates. I have no disrespect for food, but I can eat only little at a time :( A trait which is in my system. I admire those kids and their parents, who never had to teach their kids eating manners, unlike mine :(
I also did not approve of it very much it, when my brother would just drag me to the terrace and burst those noisy crackers. The peace loving me would just disappear in a corner with ears covered with both hands. Why guys his age loved to show off their firecraking skills, was a mystery to me then. Initially like a good caring sibling, thinking that I have a perpetual fear of crackers, he would encourage me to try bursting them. Thankfully he gave up :) But can you imagine, he's celebrating a non polluting Diwali this year, as a mark of respect to my absence!! Poor thing sure does not know that, I enjoy the navy pier fireworks almost every alternate weekend :D
I miss all this.
But Diwali away from home, also gives me a chance to celebrate it in my own way. To try something different. I kind of have an apartment of my own (haaan..rented hai lekin mera hai :D) So I am making elaborate lunch plans. No match to mom's culinary skills, I admit. But my desi and non-desi friends will not mind, as long as they are getting good food!! Planning to attend Diwali mass. And light some lanterns too. Catch up on studies and watching some animated movies is something else I want to do.
We have also cleaned the house, almost. And now I know what a pain it must be for the motherkind to do this huge task all by themselves with a little help from us and maid aajibai.
All the good things and bad things apart, what matters is the festive spirit. Celebrating life and making yourself and in turn others happy :) Indulging in small activities to make life more fun. We need such breaks to enjoy the feeling of togetherness. Many people don't need a reason to celebrate, but for those many who have forgotten the little incentives life has to offer, this is like an opportunity offered every year, without any 'conditions apply' tag at the end.
I wish that no conditions apply to your happiness and good spirits this festive season. Wish you all an illuminating Diwali and a-throw-your-fears-away Halloween (just remembered..it's the halloween on 31st OCT!!).
nightflier :)
