Dilwali..Lighting Up My Memory Lane

I have been staying abroad for some years. Though I like my stay here, there are times when I miss my country and my people badly. There are certain factors that make India still an irresistible option to me. Well, one such factor is the multicultural set up that adds enticing flavors to the nation with its vividness and festivities.

I feel the diverse culture and vivid festivities make India lot more interesting than any other country in the world.

Every year I make sure to make a trip to India irrespective of hurdles that often rear up and every year I take back lot of indelible memories.

Last time too when I visited India I gathered some really cherish able moments. It was the month of October. I was visiting India this time of the year after a long time. Although the month had several interesting moments an unforgettable one was Diwali celebration.

I reached my hometown amidst all the preparation and celebration of Diwali. Just as I came out of the airport I could feel the festivity and upbeat mood all around me. There were big Diwali hoardings across the streets, the houses and shops were lit up with colorful lights and lanterns, there were stalls selling stickers of gods and even musical picture frames, streets were decorated and people looked busy shopping. The whole city looked like a bride adorned beautifully. 

The crowd did not bother me. The cheery mood and happy expressions were so pleasing. Everything seemed to mesmerize me. I was surprised at my own feelings. The crowded streets and the noises of the crackers that could have annoyed my senses (especially because I was coming from very peaceful surroundings) seemed to appeal me.

All the childhood memories of Diwali celebration came flooding back. I was getting nostalgic. The children on the streets, their cheerful faces made me recall my childhood days celebration.The mud houses I made with my friends and sisters,  the money we gathered for buying diyas , the joy of lighting them up, how much I relished the taste of the sweets, especially the colorful sugary sweets in different shapes….everything was joyful and memorable.I wanted to relive those moments and fortunately I managed to do it.

I reached home. I was really glad to meet my family.

Next day I called the kids in my neighborhood and with their help made a small mud house just like I used to make when small. Then, tried my hands at painting. Painted the house in red and green, red being my kid’s favorite color and green being mine. In the evening I lit it up with diyas that I bought on my way home. I preferred to use diyas instead of lights that flooded the market.

I asked my maid to bring some colorful sugary sweets and crackers. While I was doing all this my little one looked everything with amazement. He was witnessing all this for the first time and thankfully he enjoyed all.

In the evening I called some of the kids of my colony and we burnt the crackers together. My son who was initially scared with the crackers slowly started enjoying the lights and participated in the activity with full zest with other kids. He enjoyed burning the phooljharee, he also loved the sweets that once I did. After trying each different-colored sweet he came running to me to show his colorful tongue.

He was highly fascinated with his new experience. I could see my childhood enthusiasm in him. His joy and excitement multiplied my happiness. I must say that I celebrated Diwali in the simplest way, with no extravagance but it gave me lifelong memories. I was reliving memorable moments of childhood with my kid and family. We all had a great time.

The phooljharies, the diyas, the sweets and the happy faces everything lit up my memory lane. I captured some of the moments in my camera. When I was back to my home abroad, I viewed those pics innumerable times and every time it gave me immense pleasure and I decided to visit India again this time of the year.

Once again I am back to India..once again it’s October…once again Diwali season is here…once again I am going to celebrate it in the most special way with my family and  once again I will take back home with me some cherished memories…