Hi all my wonderful readers, hope you are all good! This Autumn brings with it innumerable reasons to celebrate and cherish being Indian. The reason being, it gives us so many festivals to enjoy and reminiscence all the previous ones too. Our older times gave us a lot of time to make sense of the world and commemorate each moment, and actually speaking we have lived every single moment.
Personally speaking, I used to anticipate these festivals with a lot of excitement especially Deepawali or Diwali in modern terms. Those twenty-one day’s gap after Dussehra, used to be the most cheerful and most awaited set of days. The sumptuous sweets, the fragrance of fresh flowers, the pungent smell of oil which was used to burn diyas and a sense of complete nirvana. The very atmosphere made me so happy and satisfied along with a cherry on top- the amazing neighbours that we had.
Being the festival of lights, I remember, a house which was decorated with some lights fifteen days before Diwali. That house was across the road and must be at a distance of half a kilometer. Every year its owner used to light his house and every next day added more lights to his house in the evening. The clearest sight was through my balcony.
All my friends excitedly would ask me time and again if he had put more lights. That excitement among all of us together, showed how little things at that time were so important to teach us the meaning of life. There was never an idle time at home, never a time when nobody came to see the lights from my balcony or taste some of the delicacies that my mother made. Every evening we eyed that house from my balcony and enjoyed the intriguing sight. Since the Chinese lights had not entered the competitive arena, there was not much variety available in the market. But how we put those limited options to use was quite intelligible. How I still remember each of my friends and those times.
Since that man, still unknown to this fact that what big fans we all were and how we waited for him to add more lights to his house each evening, made our festival even more enjoyable and making me see that sight in my mind time and again. Remembering this last night, me and my daughter went out for a stroll, thinking that there must be someone who must have decorated their houses also because of the wedding sesaon in the vicinity, but to my amazement there was not even a single light in any house. I suggested my daughter if we could put some lights now and add more each day outside the house and by the time Diwali comes we would enjoy this entire process. So we have also put a small chain of lights, just like we enjoyed watching that house maybe someone likes ours too.
Another incident I can recall is of a South Indian couple, who did not have any children. Every year on Diwali they would wish all the kids in the neighbourhood and gave them toys made of mud. Those little things intrigued us not only because of the spirit of gifting but of the love and blessings that came along with it. We all enjoyed the little structures of different things and our festive mood took another turn altogether. Playing with those toys, enjoying the yummy food and not to forget, bursting crackers.
Beginning from cleaning the house to preparations for the D-day and helping our mothers while they prepared food, garlands or even prepared for praying time, kept us engaged together. Why I’m remembering all this is because that fun and excitement seems to be lost in today’s time. Things are not the same maybe because the times have changed and even because we are not among the same people where our hearts still stay, moreover also because we lost our parents too.
In times of moving further, we are rather retreating and succumbing to western ideologies and leaving behind the essence and true spirit of festivity. Commercialisation has taken us all by a storm and sadly, we have been victimised in such a manner that now if we do not indulge in such activities, we would be away from the latest trends and maybe treated as an outsider for boycotting it. All I can say is enjoy your hearts out, one because you will never have the same situation everytime and second, because life is ofcourse too short.
Enjoy each of these days, try new things and make memories to tell your kids when they grow up or even your grandchildren. Come together, decide upon making different savouries, join the neighbours no matter how bad they are, it’s only you who can bring a change in your lives and of others as well. Despite your busy schedules do make sure to involve yourselves and trust me this festival will be better than none other.
See you soon on the other side till then do try some of these suggestions!
Theory Of Happy Living 
Your writing is as fresh as the blooming flowers during spring, which never dies or gets boring because you are so versatile in your series of events. However, nothing more can be asked when there is at least on well wisher of so many, why because, nobody shares these ideals. It’s always a new experience and the best thing is that none can die of the over sweetness, I must have read it over a 100 times now and its hard to believe how wrong we are in our approach.
Keep writing for us Sir, maybe someday we could also reach this perfection! 🙂
Dearest Sidhant your comments are so motivating for me that they fill me with greater enthusiasm…they act like an oasis or cool water for a thirsty traveller in a hot desert. I have no words to express my feelings. Thank you so much!