Diwali is around the corner. What I like about Diwali are the lights. Even in Dubai I have never missed that. Beautiful lights adoring the balconies in the night sky.
What I don’t like about Diwali is the fire crackers and the unnecessary gifts. When I was a child in that small town of Himachal Pradesh where I grew up, gifting was fun, because it would mean an exchange of sweets. What else does a sweet toothed child need? Obviously the variety of sweets.
When I got married and shifted to the cosmopolitan Delhi, I realized gifts of Diwali meant the show of money. Expensive gifts were passed on from one to another. Bedsheets, crockery, dry fruits and what not. I absolutely abhore this wastage.
Once someone gifted me those small Turkish tea cups. Not knowing what to do, I kept them at the top of cupboard. A year later, during Diwali cleaning, not knowing the contents, box was thrown on the floor, leading to the carnage.
Another time, I got box full of jellies. The product was left to expire and thrown away. If you have to really gift someone, I feel the gifts should be mindful. Plants to keep your environment green, books to enlighten, dry fruits yes they are good calories. If it’s a near and dear one, you obviously know their choices, so gift accordingly. Why gift something which someone won’t ever use. Most important, in this world of hatred, gift someone your time and love. Be with them, make it a point to visit your friends and family, rather than just sending a gift.
The next thing which I dislike is the fire crackers. I never graduated beyond the hand held sparklers. Too much smoke would only make the Delhi smog worse. My child would always have a flare of asthma after each Diwali. As a child he was scared of the crackers and wouldn’t go near them.
Boys are boys. Suddenly he started loving them when he was 8. For a year or two, I kept discouraging him, saying we should celebrate Green Diwali. Alas, no more ! Another year, I excused saying you don’t get fire crackers in Dubai.
” How come everyone gets, and you don’t? Pat came the next question.
Everyone to his own!! Let him burn crackers, while I will try to burn calories.
What is your idea of celebrating Diwali?
The Vagabond 