Diwali Celebrations
Diwali!! I have a lot of emotions attached to that term. May not be really significant, but it seems to have its own relevance when it comes to Family. Sometimes, I do feel that these festivals which are stated to have their respective significance – have some other ulterior motives.
It is a sort of real fun to see people getting up early in the morning, wearing new clothes, distributing sweets, etc. The only days when I get up so early other than Diwali are my e-days (exam days). During other festivals I do not see many wearing new clothes. And with the fast moving days, the only time that I get to see my neighbors is when I go to their house distributing sweets. It is really fun getting new clothes for all the family members.
Going shopping with all members despite grunts from the bread winner about the expensiveness of the clothes, making sweets at home before “The Day” and at the pretext of checking on the accuracy of sweetness, having some helpings and then getting shooed away from the store by elders, trying to have a sneak peek at place where the goodies are locked, trying to use some influence to get some special crackers than the usual ones – such memories make the festival even more special for me.
I miss my childhood and also my cousins especially on “The Day”. With all of them around, the fun was even more with trouble brewing right from who has to have the first chance in taking an oil bath, who get the first sweet, who gets to burst the crackers first. It used to be a competition amongst neighborhood kids as well. The aftermath of the celebrations which includes compulsory intake of the Diwali medicine which is too hard to swallow and highly bitter in taste, running round the house shouting “Help!!! They are trying to kill me! They are making me eat this drastic thing! Help!!!” followed by peals of laughter from the elders, scolding from parents for creating a din, etc.
This diwali however did not have its original flavour of fun.
May be because we no longer consider it as a chance to get "together". It seems more like a formality.
I believe that when the demon "narakasur" died, he must have missed his mother's guidance due which he felt the necessity of family togetherness and organized such a festival. But we have lost focus of his real intention. With the nuclear family concept gaining its hold into our culture and workaholics increasing (thanks to the MNC policy of providing 24 * 7 service), our kith and kin celebrate diwali in office with their computers in a 6 * 8 sized cubicle having virtual crackers and virtual savouries and ofcourse...sending a lot of e-greetings with steriotyped wishes.
It is a sort of real fun to see people getting up early in the morning, wearing new clothes, distributing sweets, etc. The only days when I get up so early other than Diwali are my e-days (exam days). During other festivals I do not see many wearing new clothes. And with the fast moving days, the only time that I get to see my neighbors is when I go to their house distributing sweets. It is really fun getting new clothes for all the family members.
Going shopping with all members despite grunts from the bread winner about the expensiveness of the clothes, making sweets at home before “The Day” and at the pretext of checking on the accuracy of sweetness, having some helpings and then getting shooed away from the store by elders, trying to have a sneak peek at place where the goodies are locked, trying to use some influence to get some special crackers than the usual ones – such memories make the festival even more special for me.
I miss my childhood and also my cousins especially on “The Day”. With all of them around, the fun was even more with trouble brewing right from who has to have the first chance in taking an oil bath, who get the first sweet, who gets to burst the crackers first. It used to be a competition amongst neighborhood kids as well. The aftermath of the celebrations which includes compulsory intake of the Diwali medicine which is too hard to swallow and highly bitter in taste, running round the house shouting “Help!!! They are trying to kill me! They are making me eat this drastic thing! Help!!!” followed by peals of laughter from the elders, scolding from parents for creating a din, etc.
This diwali however did not have its original flavour of fun.
May be because we no longer consider it as a chance to get "together". It seems more like a formality.
I believe that when the demon "narakasur" died, he must have missed his mother's guidance due which he felt the necessity of family togetherness and organized such a festival. But we have lost focus of his real intention. With the nuclear family concept gaining its hold into our culture and workaholics increasing (thanks to the MNC policy of providing 24 * 7 service), our kith and kin celebrate diwali in office with their computers in a 6 * 8 sized cubicle having virtual crackers and virtual savouries and ofcourse...sending a lot of e-greetings with steriotyped wishes.
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