gone are those days ...

its strange

Its Diwali today!

and there is no feel of it absolutely...

gone are the days

...when Diwali was awaited long before it was here
with the diwali safai...all the old memories were refreshed
by cleaning up almirahs and drawers...
where small notes and gifts
used to be found...
when worn out old clothes - that dont fit anymore
but were very dear for no particular reason, &
when brand new clothes that were hidden from moms -
came out in the open
when me n c used to sneak into the love notes
of ma and pa :)
when the age old guitar and harmonium and mouth organ
were redicovered and with it
a new resolve - to learn at least one of them - was renewed!

when diwali meant a lot of sweets...
the suhali, petha, bhujia...and the mom's speciality dal ka halwa
the plates of sweets shared with the neighbours as part of ritual
same sweets...yet sharing them was so important
it all made it so much more sweeter :)

when diwali meant a lot of crackers...
phuljhari, chakri, anar, chocolate bombs, aloo bombs, rockets, mashaal and the sad taar
all which were got beforehand...put out in dhoop
to get best results from them...
the planning of which drum would burst...
the difficult wait for the D-day to burst all of them...
the star filled anaar...which fascinated me always always

when diwali meant a lot of puja...
preparations of which began three days prior
the rangoli...the sweets...the selection of diyas...
the shopping of the new ganeshji & laxmiji idols...
the last minute drawing and coloring of the paper
which would become god in due time...
[strange how i never questioned that all these years
and suddenly my understanding of God refuses to accept things so simply]
the flower decorations...the dressing up of ourselves
the new set of clothes...one for puja and another for lighting the crackers...

...
when diwali was more than just an occasion
...it used to be a celebration of relationships...love and ...prosperity
diwali used to be much much more...
when wishing a diwali wasnt a compulsion...it was heartfelt...
when the mobile phones, gtalks and orkuts didnt exist...
yet wishes reached everyone...

gone are those days...

and today its Diwali...again

and its feeling very very strange!