Diwali Greetings

Almost my entire family here...

Well its that time of the year which we wait..Yes its Diwali..I wish everyone a very happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year...

Diwali at my place is the most awaited festival...It brings the entire family together and as a kid the only thing all of us used to look forward is bursting crackers. But today when i look back at those days, I wish I never grew up. Those petty fights I had with my cousins just because he had one extra packet of what we used to call 'lavangi' or fire crackers..

Traditionally everyone used to assemble at our grand parents house the previous night..The excitement used to build on what we have purchased for Diwali. I remember my grandmother and grandfather neatly arranging the clothes.. Ladies in our family used to proudly display the sweets and savouries they had prepared. And the celebrations began. I don't remember one Diwali night when we slept. We cousins (seven) used to wait for the day to dawn. Since we were 17 members in the family we kept talking the whole night and pulling each others leg...What next?

My guiding beacon (My Parents and Grandparents)

Well the day dawns and its 3Am to be precise...My grandmother used to apply oil in our hair (all kids..the mischievous lot)..Well what next..gulping down the marundu (This is something that we are supposed to have after taking bath..) And then starts the big bang stuff..And then the day just passes off playing some pranks...Since in Mumbai the celebration continues the whole night, we used to celebrate laxmi pooja with our neighbours...As i have told earlier here that though i lived in Mumbai all my life, I was fortunate live in an apartment where the majority of the members were Tamilians.. Also my family ensured that we valued our traditions...

Diwali is just not a festival, for me it has strengthened our realtionship and held our family together...For 24 years having celebrated with all cousins, this year I am all alone...Reason, my cousins have settled abroad, its just me and elders...The family of 17 has now been reduced to 5 in Paradise (That's my building's name) .....The number has shrunk but our love and care for each other has increased two-fold...Patti's demise has left a void..But she is there guiding us...If not for her we wouldn't have celebrated each festival the way we do it even today...Patti this Diwali is for you and Vijay who is celebrating his Thala Diwali (First Diwali) with his wife and Ramya...

Here's wishing everyone a happy Diwali once again...