Exchange Crackers with Love & Affection!

My Diwali Story!

Diwali a day of full of happiness and excitement, following a tradition to be in traditional dress, making rangoli, and waiting for evening to be with whole family, neighbors and loved ones.

I remember  that we were standing together  at  Diwali night (It was 1996, one of our cousin brother got married we were making arrangements to make them feel special) we were five people there my brother, Pyush my brother’s friend, Sonu bhaiya, mono bhiya  and myself.  Diwali never been so flashy for us, we’d never had such attractive crackers, the anar, charkri, sparkers, pencil, sky shooters etc.  My eye stopped in the corner of lane in the guard cabin, A small little girl. This little girl is scared of her own shadow. The girl was in a torn frock, And a faded  pashmina shawl around herself. I was looking at her and noticing her expression. She smiling and crying at the same time, suddenly someone chanting my name I have gone back to arrange sweets, gifts, chocolates, etc. On this day we use to exchange gifts, sweets, chocolates etc. with our loved ones.

After arrangements I came out and got busy in arranging crackers & chairs so that everyone together enjoys the fireworks.

For others, imagination together  with idealism to fill with details: she seemed a depressed kind,  my  mind  tells me; you can see fear on her face; she moved  two steps back every  time someone move towards  her , aware that she might be a interference on a special  family celebration; she was trembling  because of  cold. I was not aware weather its truth or I have been tricked by my mind. That night I was not aware –But then my mummy said something that wedged with me: “Little girl, she’s standing close to us because she needs to warm her hands.”  Durring that time I noticed her for a while. She was a beautiful, fair girl in dirty clothes

Our  inconsequential sparklers, colourful decoration  and bonfire for  the little girl wobbly in Delhi’s  winter! I gave her some sweets that those sweets have been immediately gobbled by the  little girl not for savor but for diet, because it seems that she didn’t had food. I was unable to stop myself to talk, I asked her what happen who you are? Her words and story really touched my heart, she lost her family last Diwali, how they caught in fire because of crackers

This occurrence has been  a big deal. Probably within three four years I have come out of Diwali ultimately; and feel the aversion for all crackers.  But after that things was completely changed for me and that was an violent break from celebrations and festivals.  Next Year, I didn’t feel to buying crackers– It’s was the feel from inside.

After year passes , other factors and situations came into role. I was at my in-laws place last year, one thing I started hating diwali for air pollution and noise troubling our dog, and It reminds me immediately how frightened Leo was on Diwali. I was one the contributor in family to avoid crackers on the festival of Diwali. And after that slowly and steadily , I progressively was distanced from crackers thing and moving towards  the idea of  family and friend get together  and celebrating  festivals by sharing  sweets , gifts and people’s traditional foods , conducting pujas, and  wishing a prosper year a head.

Beyond other factors, I can’t forget the misery and pain in the eye of little poor girl in torn frock all the years ago.