Diwali at Home :)

While lighting Diyas outside my home today; I noticed the local neighborhood children lightning crackers with so much zeal and enthusiasm that I could not help remembering my own childhood Diwali. Diwali then meant excitement; new clothes; mithai ; guests coming to visit you and you going to visit family friends ;

Diwali meant an almost week holiday from school and participating in pre-Diwali shopping with Mom-Dad; to decide what is to be gifted ; to religiously gift wrap the dry fruits and mithai’s ; five consecutive days of Rangoli; thinking of design and colors and all the cracker stuff.

I clearly remember when I eagerly used to wait for Diwali Pooja (where we used to sit in our best of clothes) to get over so that papa will lead us outside to try our hands at crackers. Crackers used to give a kind of excitement and thrill. I clearly remember the feeling of fear and excitement when papa used to hand over the cracker to me; there was a kind of promotion when we were allowed only fuljhadis ; then chakkar ; and then finally the bombs and Ladis ; till then we used to watch papa lighting the bomb in awe ;
Crackers charm went away after 1998 when I participated in a street play to “say no to crackers” to avoid child labor. Our group ran from one corner of Delhi to other to stage the street play and I ran around my entire household holding banners and stickers that I won’t burn crackers. From then onwards life became busier and I got more involved in studies to think about Diwali holidays and ways to spend it. Rangoli tradition continued and it still continues.

Diwali for me is no more exciting and thrilling as it used to be; In fact I feel it more as an opportunity to unwind and relax with my family. I have developed this notion that festivals become all the more important in your life once you get into job because may be that is the only quality time which you spend with you family; At times I feel nostalgic about the old time which I spent with my family as a kid and now I am unable to do so because my life; my work ; my career doesn’t permit me to do so .

Anyhow ; I kind of feel envious at seeing those kids because they remind me of my own gala time but there are newer dimensions to Diwali now; like I have my own social network of people to take care of ; I just love lighting the Diyas and candles ; just enjoy the Rangoli at leisure and of course in the night I can write lengthy blogs and yes NO crackers J
0ver all I feel reunited; refreshed and rejuvenated by festivals in my life and I essentially feel the necessity of such lavish holidays to spend quality time with my family