Deepavali or Diwali – which is around the corner (Oct 27) doesn’t need an intro to the
world, and India is a multicultural nation with each has its own richness of colours,
dynamic, values and unique practices progresses with zeal; and Diwali is a
festival unites the nation under the limelight called festival of lights, just
like the festival of colours - Holi. Every part of the country has a reason and
belief to celebrate Diwali with common intent of good against evil and light in
place of darkness. Though not everyone celebrates Diwali in India and you
really don’t need to celebrate the festival but the mood of the festival of
lights is delight! Those who grew up in 90s and 80s and further decades below
would knew the real essence and spirit of Deepavali or any other festival in
common, and we as kids used to begin the celebration weeks ahead to Diwali by
bursting little firecrackers that we buy from the petti shops in neighbourhood.
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| Sparkler effect in playful way |
Deepavali
is an uplifting feeling leap off every year during the festival time and it has
something to do with me, perhaps it was a favourite time of the year for me from
the beginning and bursting fireworks was the intention behind the enthusiasm. During
school days, we draw Diwali greetings on the black board on the last day in
school before the Deepavali holiday and what we draw was rockets, flower pot
fountains, sparklers… and some terror boys drew Lakshmi vedi, auto bombs and
electric crackers and the girl students drew Diyas. Those days Deepavali means fireworks
and still I could not imagine a Deepavali without the same and the sound of
firecrackers. I don’t encourage the sound and I too stopped buying fireworks
that exits sound, except for the Aerial shots, I handle only sparklers.
Apart
fireworks, Deepavali is a festival of sweets and this was the only time that we
make sweets and snacks at home. But these days many prefer buying sweets from
the shops perhaps because of laziness or workload where they are not ready or
impossible to spend time on preparing snacks at home. During our resident at
apartment (from 2005-2013) we get to taste different sweets and snacks shared
by the neighbours but we ever turned from Adhirasam and Murukku – the
traditional sweet and snack that mark Deepavali. The Adhirasam made of rice
flour and jiggery and Murukku with same flour and other ingredients produces a
distinct sense and cheerfulness as we go through the smell and hunger for same.
The snacks were later distributed to relatives and friends the same way we’re
treated by them.
Though
new cloths are part of the festival, like any other festivals, Deepavali clothes
has a special place and this was the time where purchases reach the peak and
offers come in grand what people never wanted to miss. The online shopping has
took a huge leap these days, where the festival rush to shopping streets and
malls had gradually decreased and the great Indian festivals at online websites
and apps like Amazon becomes an advantage to people who lookout for low-price
and stress-free shopping experience. I remember going to shopping for Deepavali
and Pongal festivals, when I was a kid,
even though I wasn’t much interested on dresses that was a time new dress made
sense and gave happiness showing it to others. Only in last couple of years I
took shirts for Deepavali and this year that too was nil, as I got stitched
dress only lately, but generally I wasn’t interested shopping on special
occasions.
For
me it was the feeling, the cheerfulness of celebrating a festival and gathering
of people and cherishing the memories that I hold dear from past celebrations
makes Deepavali special. For me the past is always significant, not only because
those moments unreturned but hold back the spirit and becomes a force to take
forward. I believe a festival is to celebrate
and a celebration is impossible without sharing. For me Deepavali bring a feel
of togetherness, what the sounds of fireworks on this day reproduce and I don’t
see bursting fireworks as a rite or reasonable act but I like watching firework
display that happens only during Deepavali and I buy some on my personal interest.
Enjoy your day and have fun.
