Diwali: Spreading sparkles of happiness

Diwali in a small town meant - freedom from studies (no school), decorating and lighting up the house, exchanging gifts ,visiting and receiving guests, bursting crackers, pujas, indulging in safe pranks without getting busted, loads of sweets, new clothes, fun and frolic etc. The house-helps were given gifts and a day off.The house wasinundated with aromas of delectable delicacies. It was safer to stay away frommothers, who are a tad irritable, working chores without the usual helpers.Diwali in a city like Delhi was synonymous with carefree celebrations- a lot ofpomp associated with the festivities.New clothes are brought, houseis scrubbed cleaned, powdered and puffed. The frantic run to malls and shoppingsprees to clench the best Diwali deal is as arduous as a rigorous exerciseregime. This is in fact one of the main reasons behind pre-Diwali weight losssyndrome. Grand late night Diwali tash (card) parties, with sumptuous spread offood and drinks are the culprits of the successive post-Diwali weight gainsyndrome. Each individual consciously or unconsciously sucked into the trend oftrying to outshine the other -louder and high-tech crackers, expensive andgrander attire, louder music, better decor, more luxurious parties. Morerecently campaigns to have a safe and pollution, free Diwali has made Delhi lessnoisy, cleaner, and less prone to respiratory problems around Diwalitimes.As a child, I remember going to our ancestral village during this festival. Like most Indian villages, the rustic charm of my village completely enticed us. We would think the dense bushes lining the patched muddy roads, agna Agni banasta (name of a forest from my grandma's stories). The village temple, with its fragrance of sandalwood, flowers and incense would greet us at the entrance. We would be awed by the little half-naked boys jumping and swimming effortlessly in the green cool moss ridden waters, almost engulfed-at the shallow end- by the water lilies and lotus.As theevening approached, the villagers would get ready for the celebrations andfestivities. Handmade crackers would be tied to the apex of long poles erectedearlier. An elderly gentle man holding a long pole set ablaze at one end wouldlight the crackers. Many times, we would watch the sparks from the amateurishcrackers fall on the thatched roof and set it on fire. Many villagers would rushforward to extinguish the fire. We would listen with popped eyes to the tales ofthe great escapes from fire or the brave rescue missions. As my worldviewwidened I came to realize that these were manufactured calamities and could havebeen averted. As Indians, we are often sentimentally attached to our culture andtraditions. Undoubtedly, an individual devoid of roots is like a rolling stone,aimless, lacking any sense of association. Yet as we evolve so does ourperspective. When the healthy elements of tradition are cherished, the pretenseand negative aspects are discarded, hidden meanings are un-earthen or newmeaning is added to our traditions and culture - a pure, refined and shimmeringculture emerges.In this quest for finer meaning for our traditions,I would like to add the interpretation of a couple who changed their viewpointand lighted up their lives this Diwali. The names have been changed to protecttheir identity. Ritu and Vinod were young and dynamic career driven expatriates.At least they presented that image to the outside world. Behind the closed door,their life was a closet full of broken dreams and agonizing pain. Her facade ofstrength always crumbled when she faced Vinod. Last Diwali, Ritu and Vinodopened their hearts and home to a small girl (an orphan) - abandoned on thestreets to die. Despite strong opposition from other members of family whoostracized them, they stuck to that one glimmer of hope they now callDiya.Diwali, the festival of lights gained another perspective here in Dubai. The recent flood in Orissa is considered as one of the worst in the recent times, with 3,128 villages devastated across 10 districts. The number of people thrown at the mercy of nature is a stupendous statistical figure of 21.6 lakh. The Oriya community at Dubai, Odisa Samaj UAE (OSUAE), thought of bringing a gleam of light into the lives of the people devastated by nature. For these unfortunate children of god, lighting a small lamp to welcome the goddess of prosperity is a distance dream. Diwali celebrations occur in an alien world far removed from the lives of these people. Getting urgent medical help for their sick children, finding clothing and shelter, clean water and some crumbs of food for their starved stomach is all they can think of. The extent of their plight is unimaginable. Every ounce of help, however small is precious for them. Most people have the motive to help yet they flounder in finding avenues. The UAE Odisha Samaj initiated a call for donation in its Facebook page. Ever since, people have been responding to this call and a substantial sum has been collected for the purpose.