Diwali: when home becomes celebration!

When the diyas are lit, and the flames are a prayer

for love, peace, prosperity and lots of laughter

when the rangoli is inviting to come home

and the whole home is calling your name, again

Diwali is where home is, where celebration is!!

Diyas and Diwali

Home is where Diwali is and sometimes this seemingly simple fact gets ignored. Staying away from home sometimes the festival spirit is just missed and when the leaves are not approved it becomes a further excuse. But then diwali is family time and family is always there when you need them most!

Here is my last year love story with my home town Delhi in which the office played the villain. The story starts in October with the festive spirit in air, but due to everybody being in holiday and since you are single, interpret that as no family commitments and children, you are made to stay at office, when all you want to do is be at home eating ladoos, arguing with your dad and basking in all the attention your mom wants to give you at festival time. 

With the tempers soured, and fights at home for not coming and at office for not getting a leave it didn't seem like festival at all. One day before Diwali with shoulders dropped and spirit in complete shambles, and a heavy heart and sounds of my mom’s voice echoing disappointment and sadness echoing wild and loud I sat staring at my laptop reading the Diwali greetings with sarcasm. Dreading tomorrow and missing all my Diwali usualness at Delhi, going to friends and relatives at home, laughing and joking all day, making an elaborate rangoli, eating home made ladoos and kachoris and decorating the entire house. With a sigh and slight tear I brushed away the memories and the tear.

Suddenly I got a call from my boss saying that my leave is approved and wishing me all the best for holidays. I controlled myself not to say nay profanities, wanting to ask him what use is holidays now with no tickets available, I refrained and said a polite bye. Packing my bag I made my way home, empty house I thought but just as I reached.

The first surprise was the rangoli outside my flat and second as I saw my mom standing at the doorway, I almost ran and hugged her, “so what if you can’t come , we have got diwali from delhi here for you in Bangalore, happy diwali beta”, as I entered there was my brother and my father and the entire house decorated.

Without being given much time, I was working around, laughing and eating my mom’s handmade besan ladoos decorating the entire house, filling sweets in boxes to be given around. And then suddenly the tears made their way through as I hugged my dad and all he said was, “family is family beta, we will always be there for you, and at festival time we ccouldn't bear to see your sad face, its time to be happy, its time for ghar wali diwali!!”

And it was one of the most memorable diwali for me ever, I got new friends in my neighbours as they joined in the festivities and it was home away from home with a celebration that I still deeply cherish and this time with diwali round the corner I am off to home, for that special Ghar Wali Diwali!!

Diwali Rangoli!

 How long might be the distances and the miles

 The heart knows no boundaries as it cherishes memories

 That special besan ladoo and the dal kachori

 That colourful rangoli and decorative diyas

 Here’s wishing everybody a special ghar wali diwali!!

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Note: All Images used are author's original work.