Its Diwali time and inarguably this one is the most celebrated festival in India, even Windsor Palace, White House, Wall Street, NASDAQ and NYSE cannot ignore it. Once again, just want to throw away all theory about Ram coming back to Ayodhya etc. During my life, Diwali celebrated in 4½ phases.
First with Kolkata, we used to make firecrackers; since early days, I liked all those activities, where creativity is matter. Mixing sulfur with paste of charcoal from burn wooden pieces and getting some products called firecrackers. While burning those firecrackers we used to keep laughing, do not know on what, on our failure or firecrackers. Then Lamps (Diyas) were everywhere in our big house.
Another beautiful creative thing came up on my Diwali menu while living in Jammy (Jamshedpur). We used make a small mud house on our courtyard, It was known as ‘Budi’s House’ (House of an old lady). Tried hard to give all my creative ideas to it. It was always two storied with a circular staircase and a beautiful balcony. On those days, colours were not available, so it was only white wash. On Diwali day, we decorated it with lamps. Dad used to buy firecrackers from market so gone the days of experiments and poor firecrackers were having huge sigh of relief.
In Mumbai, all things were bang bang and somewhere here slowly the lamps replaced by the candles, but a ‘STAR’ or Kandeel (Light arrangement mostly looks like star) was compulsory thing for every Hindu household. For middle class families Diwali means lots hard work, varieties of home made sweet can be seen like Rawa laddoo, Basan Laddoo and Karenja. Last one was bit troublesome, while preparing it you will feel like a bank’s recurring deposit keep going and going, only relief that you will find lots helping hand from your neighbourhood. Corporate houses and Big Bosses send big thing, least bothered, better forget it. You get a plateful from your each neighbour and mostly homemade cookie. Celebration goes up to or almost fifteen days until Tulsi’s Wedding (I have no idea if Tulsi got married somewhere to someone). Bursting of Firecrackers keep you awake through all nights. From Ganesh Puja onwards and until New Year you will always get a feeling of festivity in Mumbai.
First with Kolkata, we used to make firecrackers; since early days, I liked all those activities, where creativity is matter. Mixing sulfur with paste of charcoal from burn wooden pieces and getting some products called firecrackers. While burning those firecrackers we used to keep laughing, do not know on what, on our failure or firecrackers. Then Lamps (Diyas) were everywhere in our big house.
Another beautiful creative thing came up on my Diwali menu while living in Jammy (Jamshedpur). We used make a small mud house on our courtyard, It was known as ‘Budi’s House’ (House of an old lady). Tried hard to give all my creative ideas to it. It was always two storied with a circular staircase and a beautiful balcony. On those days, colours were not available, so it was only white wash. On Diwali day, we decorated it with lamps. Dad used to buy firecrackers from market so gone the days of experiments and poor firecrackers were having huge sigh of relief.
In Mumbai, all things were bang bang and somewhere here slowly the lamps replaced by the candles, but a ‘STAR’ or Kandeel (Light arrangement mostly looks like star) was compulsory thing for every Hindu household. For middle class families Diwali means lots hard work, varieties of home made sweet can be seen like Rawa laddoo, Basan Laddoo and Karenja. Last one was bit troublesome, while preparing it you will feel like a bank’s recurring deposit keep going and going, only relief that you will find lots helping hand from your neighbourhood. Corporate houses and Big Bosses send big thing, least bothered, better forget it. You get a plateful from your each neighbour and mostly homemade cookie. Celebration goes up to or almost fifteen days until Tulsi’s Wedding (I have no idea if Tulsi got married somewhere to someone). Bursting of Firecrackers keep you awake through all nights. From Ganesh Puja onwards and until New Year you will always get a feeling of festivity in Mumbai.
The ½ phase of Diwali was in Singapore, where I was staying with a wonderful family. Strangely, there were no diyas or firecrackers but a huge Diwali party used to thrown to the family members, relatives and friends and more strangely, that lots of liquor bottle uncorked on that day, but only relief for me, that the women from that house never touched those alcohol.
After coming back to Kolkata, this time around, things are changed and another creative thing was waiting for me, lighting arrangement. We are having a big house with garden around and decorating it with tiny colourful electric lights is not mater of joke, but I have always a competition with in. At last happiness come at the evening when all lights are ON, looking at all those tiny colourful twinkles give me immense joy. This only a day when I do not forget to interact with my neighbour, and together we burst a few firecrackers.
While celebrating sometime a strange feeling (guilt) creep through my mind – somewhere in the dark a lonely soul may be watching me when I am celebrating Diwali under thousand lights. It is a fact even bitter one, that country like us having numerous people who even cannot spend a few paisas to buy a Diya.
!! Life is such, joy makes us selfish and in sorrow, we always try find a shoulder to cry!!
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