As the whole year was muted, dreary and enervating for everyone including the fact that we did not have any Navarathri celebrations, due to COVID and other home warranted situation, I wanted to welcome, than celebrate Deepavali, with plenty of lights and fanfare, as the festival demands.
So I set up buying quite a lot of and different varieties of candle light holders from ecommerce sites. Let there be Light, was the motto of this year’s Deepavali. It was more like how to revitalize oneself from the onset of all that was doom and gloom since the beginning of Mar when COVID starting gripping the nation with fear and fatality.
Therefore, Deepavali offered the perfect prescription to wade through the all-pervading darkness by spreading light, clarity and focus that seemed to be lost in a chaotic year. In addition, it was driven by the desire to shop and to fulfill some inherent cravings.
What do we learn from this festival.
We clean and decorate the house to make it spic and span. While it is pleasing for the eyes, it is a symbolic way of saying, purify your inner thoughts and rinse them off evil intentions. Lighting up the house exemplifies elimination of Darkness akin to the malicious and immoral intents.
What I could not do for Navarathri, I wanted to compensate by decorating our house with plenty of lights, in different colors, contours and sizes. The following varieties of tea light candle holders were ordered. 8 set of decorated elephants, 2 set of birds, a Ganesha idol, Moroccan mosaic glasses, Wall hanging, Pumpkin face man and woman, villager man and woman tea light candle holders.
Couple of days before Deepavali itself, I had lit up the house with decorative serial lights in hall and bedrooms. Since this year Deepavali was in Nov and during monsoon time, with the dark clouds and rains hovering in the background, the lights in the house livened up the atmosphere in a bright manner.
It’s time to celebrate. Rejoice and Revel in festivities with relatives, friends, neighbors and others.
On the Deepavali eve, I had lit up the entire house with all the items that were bought along with other ones we had in the house. House was glowing with lights and Vidya wore a new dress for some photo shoots. Her friend, Brindha as well came up in a similar kind of dress and again it was time for some more photography session. And then they went down for their group photos with their ladies group.
It’s time to share and give. Mirth and Merriness increases manifold when you involve others, especially, those that do not have the wherewithal to partake in the celebrations.
Vidya had prepared many sweets to give away and also to eat at home. Mysoke Pak is a favourite of my Dad and Son, and then there is the usual Cocunut burfi, Rava Laddu, Dry Fruit Roll. Since I had already ballooned during COVID times and in a redemption mode, I consciously ate only one each of the sweets with the exception of Dry fruit rolls (healthier option, as compared to other sweeteners). She had also ordered Mixture, Murukku, Ribbon and Badushah from her Uncle in Mumbai.
Sweets and Savouries were exchanged with various friends in the building. In addition, the ladies usually as a group purchase some gifts to be given on Deepavali. They also contribute something to the security and other cleaning staff in the building. Maids, Car Cleaners and Drivers usually get one month additional salary as bonus during Deepavali time. We also end up sharing the sweets and savouries that we get with the maids and other building staff so that they also partake in the celebrations with us.
In today’s world, Appearance matters. It always used to be, but in today’s fully interconnected universe, your life revolves around social media. So it’s time to be at your charming best. No matter, what others may say, how they see you, is how they perceive you at first. It may not be a factor for some, but for vast majority, it does. And you live in an world where seeing is believing. No harm, in being bedecked for a day….after all…it comes once a year. When you look great, you feel great….it may be fleeting, but it does make you feel good in that moment. So why not live it up.
We ordered some Tees and Jeans only for Anirud as she had unused Salwars from her last purchase in Mumbai and I had one left over gifted Tee. Dad also had one of the shirts which we bought last year, which was unused. I had asked my in laws to stay with us for Deepavali and so it was a full house this time around.
Rituals are important (for those who believe in religion and God)…where many are lost in translation and bygone over eras…let’s do something that will keep us rooted to the ground and look up to the heavens above….
We got up around 4.30 AM and then after the usual ritual of nalangu we all had oil bath. After our prayers to God, we wore our new dresses got ready for bursting fire crackers by 6.30 AM. We were the first in our residential complex to burst the crackers after which slowly others started to join the party. I had bought about 8 – 1000 wala’s and though I wanted to keep some for the evening, ended up bursting everything at one go with Anirud. He spent some more time with his friends bursting other individual crackers like Atom and Lakshmi bombs.
Food is as much an important aspect of the festivity. It’s more like after a hard day’s labor that extends for a year, it’s time to treat yourself to some special delicacies that are traditional and home made
Vidya came down in her new dress and it was photo time with friends and family. Once the dust settled, it was time for breakfast. The usual menu is like this in our household, idly, Sāmbhar, coconut chutney and Bajjis. It’s time for a feast. Meanwhile from morning, it’s time for making and receiving calls from relatives wishing us Deepavali and enquiring Ganga Snanam (bath) aacha (over). It’s a time of bonding and to rejoice and revel in the celebrations as a family. With a heavy breakfast and a filled belly, it’s time to get some rest before you feed yourself to another round of elaborate food, this time in banana leaf (traditional way to eat) rather than the usual silver or steel plates.
Gaiety and exultation has to be with relatives, friends and neighbors. Come together as a society and join the fete. That’s when it becomes joyous and exuberant.
Evening is when the whole world comes alive with celebratory mood. It’s time for lights, camera, action and fireworks. New clothes for the lady of the house, the young master and again photo shoots. I had bought some night time aerial firecrackers from a nearby shop to be fired up from our terrace. Most of the kids and others gathered up in terrace after bursting “Buswanam, Ground Chakkars, Matthappu’s” it’s time for aerial shots.
I asked my Dad also to come upstairs so that he can join and see the fireworks in action as its all aerial and in the sky. Kids shared their firecrackers and had gala fun time. After a good one hour or so, it was time to say goodbye to all the friends and return back to home to catch a good night’s sleep. Since this time Deepavali came during middle of the month and that too during a weekend, it was relaxed from work perspective as well and we could spend time with family, just the way it should be.
And so, we all had a great time even during a year that was mostly sober and uninspiring. Perhaps, this is the time when everything will change for the better…as it has been in recent times from an economy, industry and people perspective, though much has to be done yet. It’s a start…of a new beginning…Let there be light….
Beautiful Life 