Diwali used to be the day where I felt like Julius Cesar- just that his Vedi, Veni, Vici was different from my vedi and the veni and vici that followed it.
I love(d) Diwali. The fact that my face doesn't beam or at least feign a smile when someone sends me a Happy Diwali message, in person or over whatsapp, is very hard for me to digest. It's probably the best festival out there. I would pick a Diwali evening where random crackers lit at different corners of the ground goes all the way up and concocts a plethora of colors making the sky vibrant, over a well orchestrated July 4th fireworks. Why? Probably, I can sense and I know the true joy and unbound happiness behind that firework- right from the moment it's ordered, the excitement when your dad brings home a box of crackers, you look at them and start making meticulous plans of when and how to burst those crackers. On Diwali, it's just chaos in the sky, a beautiful one at that.
Diwali has changed. Diwali now, is merely reduced to an environmental concern. We have animal activists shouting at the top of their voices to not burst crackers, environmentalists worrying about the smoke emitted from crackers. I did not notice such propaganda during my childhood. The celebration of Diwali without crackers is unimaginable. It's an act that gives so much joy and it is unfair to take the excitement away from the kids. If I do go ahead and burst crackers, I am put down by people for lacking civic/ moral/ social responsibility. But I want to burst them. Go ahead and ask people to burn them safely. Ask them to make sure there are no dogs and birds around. Holding the tradition to ransom need not be the way to go about, while forcing people to adhere to an obligation which seems to have stemmed out, because of fear- fear of what people would say if you don't GO GREEN!- rather than genuine passion towards our eco-surrounding.
Diwali is defined as the day where you keep switching between savouries and sweets depending on your tongue's state of affairs, and burst crackers in between. I miss the bakshanams and the lehyam. It is the day where you consume so much food that you actually keep count of it, but do not stop and take pride in your capacity. The day would start with my mom waking me up and oil baths in the absence of your mom are never the same. The most embarrassing part is when you are made to sit on a plank and the elder folks treat you like a teenage girl, applying the flavored oil, turmeric on your feet (!) etc. which would eventually be the first thing you would want to get rid of.
Two years away from home during Diwali and I actually miss those moments. I miss my relatives and extravagantly dressed mamas and maamis asking "Ganga snanan aacha?!".
I miss the Solomon Pappaiyya pattimandram- the one TV show around which your entire brunch plan is made. (Oh God! The pattimandram progresses in a formulaic design- the side Raja is speaking for, is usually the side which loses the debate. But that guy is a rockstar. The whole pattimandram is like a CSK chase, where things go at a normal pace with few moments of brilliance and then we have Raja take it to a different level, akin to MS Dhoni).
I miss the competition I had with my colony kids where we used to explore and investigate different streets in my area to see which one has burst most crackers based on the residues and paper fragments. I miss the afternoon nap after a sumptuous feast, only to be woken abruptly by the sound of a 10000 wala. I miss laughing at the inane and innovative cracker names- Rambha vedi, Dhoom Machale, ( This time around, Modi vedi is a sell out, I heard. Well done, marketing departments in Sivakasi).
I miss being the guy who used to light the 1000 wala when other kids were scared, especially girls, and the subsequent hero-like feel. I miss the inevitable rains that occur the night before Diwali which dampen your festive mood, but you know the rains will NEVER ruin your tryst with the crackers during the dawn of Diwali.
Sigh.
It's all part of growing up? I have lost interest in bursting crackers now. So, at the end of the day it all evens out? I don't know. I miss saying, "Yaaay! It's Diwali." I miss the long holidays and the color dress that I used to wear for school, the next day.
And, I miss saying Deepavali.
I love(d) Diwali. The fact that my face doesn't beam or at least feign a smile when someone sends me a Happy Diwali message, in person or over whatsapp, is very hard for me to digest. It's probably the best festival out there. I would pick a Diwali evening where random crackers lit at different corners of the ground goes all the way up and concocts a plethora of colors making the sky vibrant, over a well orchestrated July 4th fireworks. Why? Probably, I can sense and I know the true joy and unbound happiness behind that firework- right from the moment it's ordered, the excitement when your dad brings home a box of crackers, you look at them and start making meticulous plans of when and how to burst those crackers. On Diwali, it's just chaos in the sky, a beautiful one at that.
Diwali has changed. Diwali now, is merely reduced to an environmental concern. We have animal activists shouting at the top of their voices to not burst crackers, environmentalists worrying about the smoke emitted from crackers. I did not notice such propaganda during my childhood. The celebration of Diwali without crackers is unimaginable. It's an act that gives so much joy and it is unfair to take the excitement away from the kids. If I do go ahead and burst crackers, I am put down by people for lacking civic/ moral/ social responsibility. But I want to burst them. Go ahead and ask people to burn them safely. Ask them to make sure there are no dogs and birds around. Holding the tradition to ransom need not be the way to go about, while forcing people to adhere to an obligation which seems to have stemmed out, because of fear- fear of what people would say if you don't GO GREEN!- rather than genuine passion towards our eco-surrounding.
Basically what Iyyachami is telling is ki one pandigai. Let us kondadify that in happiness. Why unnecessary "dont burst tappasu, don't release that film" type death beatings? Why?
Diwali for me here in the USA, is just another day. The day before Diwali, I am subjected to wishes on Whatsapp, GTalk, Skype, Facebook and Twitter. I didn't even wish anyone on my own! I functioned as one of those automated reply systems that pops up a message, upon receiving one. It has always been a reply to a wish. An automated response. A Diwali greeting over Gtalk led to an argument where I asked my friend to stop wishing over GTalk because the app sucks. No new clothes. A late start to the day- waking up at 9 am and planning out another ordinary day in your grad life. The anti-Diwali posts are not helping the cause either.
Diwali is defined as the day where you keep switching between savouries and sweets depending on your tongue's state of affairs, and burst crackers in between. I miss the bakshanams and the lehyam. It is the day where you consume so much food that you actually keep count of it, but do not stop and take pride in your capacity. The day would start with my mom waking me up and oil baths in the absence of your mom are never the same. The most embarrassing part is when you are made to sit on a plank and the elder folks treat you like a teenage girl, applying the flavored oil, turmeric on your feet (!) etc. which would eventually be the first thing you would want to get rid of.
Two years away from home during Diwali and I actually miss those moments. I miss my relatives and extravagantly dressed mamas and maamis asking "Ganga snanan aacha?!".
I miss the Solomon Pappaiyya pattimandram- the one TV show around which your entire brunch plan is made. (Oh God! The pattimandram progresses in a formulaic design- the side Raja is speaking for, is usually the side which loses the debate. But that guy is a rockstar. The whole pattimandram is like a CSK chase, where things go at a normal pace with few moments of brilliance and then we have Raja take it to a different level, akin to MS Dhoni).
I miss the competition I had with my colony kids where we used to explore and investigate different streets in my area to see which one has burst most crackers based on the residues and paper fragments. I miss the afternoon nap after a sumptuous feast, only to be woken abruptly by the sound of a 10000 wala. I miss laughing at the inane and innovative cracker names- Rambha vedi, Dhoom Machale, ( This time around, Modi vedi is a sell out, I heard. Well done, marketing departments in Sivakasi).
I miss being the guy who used to light the 1000 wala when other kids were scared, especially girls, and the subsequent hero-like feel. I miss the inevitable rains that occur the night before Diwali which dampen your festive mood, but you know the rains will NEVER ruin your tryst with the crackers during the dawn of Diwali.
Sigh.
It's all part of growing up? I have lost interest in bursting crackers now. So, at the end of the day it all evens out? I don't know. I miss saying, "Yaaay! It's Diwali." I miss the long holidays and the color dress that I used to wear for school, the next day.
And, I miss saying Deepavali.
