Dhoom Dhadam Diwali Time!

Time for a new post! Well actually, time for a post before I again run out of time. It is October which has just a week left of it. The lazy fingers attached to my hands which in turn stick to my torso and get controlled by the small peanut sized brain got into action after I accidently looked into the calendar. I did not want to repeat the September story of posting some crap at the last moment. :-)

October has always been an interesting month for me. A wonderful time with festival after festival, delicacies after delicacies and most importantly, holiday after holiday! All this starts with Gandhi jayanti, then Dussera and finally the grand Diwali which has been my favorite festival since time immemorial. In between there would be other small events like birthdays in the family of those who are the reason why I am on Planet Earth. My mom, dad and I managed to cramp ourselves in October, you see. So this really is a month of family bonding and gelling and all that goes with it.

So dear readers, it is time to go a little down the memory lane. I remember the look on the face of my mother who would be torn between the desires to buy me two dresses for birthday and Diwali, and buying those much needed boutique covers for the diwan. It was by some strange magic that she would accommodate everything – the dresses, the diwan cover without ever compromising the sweets or firecrackers. Then I was in college and how going home for Diwali and coming back would be one huge event. I would take all the books in the shelf in a vain attempt to convince dad that I was actually in Indore for my Engineering. But he could always pick fiction from the non fiction stuff and my fictitious attempt would blow up like one of the Diwali bombs. And then mom, dad and Sandeep would sit for atleast half a day to pack all the Diwali nashta to be taken to hostel. Believe me, the snacks would be sufficient for the entire hostel to last a week!! Finally, opening those neatly stapled bags and sharing the stuff with the gang in hostel is one of the finest memories of my hostel life. There would be a trade of snacks actually. Anusha ke ghar ka chooda for Neha ke ghar ki mathri. Saumya ke ghar ki chakli for Vineeta ke ghar ki papadiyan. And there will be one thing not for barter! The regular readers guessed it right – Mom made Gujiyes!! 

Yes, I had a grand time then. And this is the first time I am away from my parents for Diwali. I wish my family was around. Being in a foreign place on a festival as grand as Diwali is not a very happy thought. But I have some real grand plans for the D-Day. :-) I hope there is a lot to write about that for the next month. 

So what have I been up to? Well I recently did the Art of Living basic course. To say that the course was great or fantastic would be an understatement. All I can say is that it is a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it to one and all – bachhe, boodhe, naujawan - for getting your life into a perspective. If nothing else, you would end up thinking about answering some really important questions about yourself (and you would be amazed that you have never had an answer to them) and bonding with total strangers! GO FOR IT!! 

So people, I accept your heartiest birthday and Diwali wishes. I prefer cash but you can send in kind as well. Feel free with your gifts.. ;-) Sharmane ki koi baat nahi hai.. 

Now here's for my wish. Let there be loads of sweetness in what you say, efficiency in whatever you do, understanding from people in your thoughts and good will in all your intentions. 

And have a wonderful, peaceful and prosperous Diwali.