Diwali, the
festival of lights is one of our favorite. Mummy told me the story behind the
festival long back, when Lord Ram returned from Vanvas the residents of the kingdom of ayodhaya lit up diyas to welcome him, cause it was a dark moonless
night. They couldn’t bring the moon up on to the sky, so they made a huge sea
of twinkling little stars on earth for Lord Ram. We celebrate it every year,
and mummy says “It is to bring the Ram in us back.” I don’t exactly get what
she means, but I the festival is really nice.
Till last
year back it used to be all about fun, tasty food that mummy makes at home, lighting
up lamps, bursting crackers and going around here to see the idols of Kali. Khushi
and Kats used to be out all evening walking all around here, seeing the idols
of Kalis across. This year it was different. There was no Godess kali, no mummy
or Daddy, no Khushi, no tasty food, but there was an ‘EXAM’ the next day.
The way the
day started it hardly felt like there was festival. No excitement, no cheer.
But the phone kept reminding them that
there was a festival. Calls from all the wonderful people who celebrate
festivals, and not run with their eyes shut. Kats thankfully wore the new kurta
that mummy left, giving the feel of a festival.
Kats was
getting better. She got ready in the new
kurta, combed her hair neat, wore a tiny bindi, wore kajal and went out with
her friends. All her friends dressed in many many colours, not a rainbow on the
whole I must admit, but quite a few portions of it. I must tell you about her friends all thanks
to the Rumpunzel experience that Kats gave me for the last few years, I couldn’t
tell you about them. Himadrija, I think I have told about her, her best friend
in this new place. Kats as you know had come prepared with ropes to tie me up,
and lock herself up in a room away from sunlight, breeze and moon light, she
couldn’t save me, but did manage to not let her lock herself up. She introduced
her to Shanti and Rekha . Shanti has long hair like Rumpunzel and Rekha is short,
but what I like about them is how they don’t get to adultish like Kats, not big
fans of numbers, but love colours, games and being happy. And through Shanti
she got introduced to Sanjeevani, lean as stick, but is the only one who has
won the battle against the adult raising in her.
Rekha was against
them going to the temple at 12 noon. “Well who goes to temples at 12 noon” Rekha
Said, even I thought for long mummy never went to temple at such a time, but do
you have visiting hours to visit God and whisper to him ? All through the
journey Rekha kept on scaring Sanjeevani, Shanti and Kats that the temple might
be closed. But guess what! They just managed to whisper to God. They ran into
the temple and I could hardly say HI to God that we had to leave the temple as
the pujari ji said that it was closing time. Mummy had told me that when it was
time for God to sleep the temple is closed. And as the door closed behind us
all I wished God a happy nap.
Around the
temple I saw a little boy, wearing an old torn dress form which the colour was
slowly vanishing. He stretched his hands out to Kats asking for money. It was
so sad to see a little boy sad, without food to eat and a smile to wear. That
too on a festival when everyone was happy. She gave him a rupee and he closed
his fingers tight on it. She walked away without lookin at him, I think he was
still looking at her for some of her colours and her smile. You can share a
smile can you?
They saw a
shop full of candles, crackers and diyas. It took me back to here, to the days
where I used to hold daddy’s hands and he used to but these things for Diwali.
When the sky
became black and the entire city started to burst crackers, Shanti and Kats were
busy studying together for the ‘EXAM’. They were waiting for Himadrija to
arrive. She came, and brought lamps, and loads of smile. It was like I was
almost back to here. Like a new type of family with sisters.
With lamps
that they lit together, it was like diamonds were being arranged into a shape. Kats
let the rope around me free and it was so much fun. Dancing around the lamps
and watch them shine. I learnt today, that the festival-family feeling doesn’t
always need to have mummy and daddy, but I did miss them.
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