Diwali....Festival of Home-comings!!
The traditional day at work with a special lunch and games during work hours was the build up to the most awaited time of the year!
It felt like Diwali yet again.
The festival of home-coming !
And that's the biggest joy for me! More than the crackers or the new clothes or even the reason of festival itself: the celebration of the win of good over evil. The inner voice in me starts its day again : 'Thats maybe because in this era, deciphering the white from black or good from bad has become a matter of perspectives than an extract from religion or culture.'
In the metro city, 'going home' is commonly referred to as going to "gaon" or the village in literal sense! And I was getting a feel of it at that moment.... the desi-me in me was taking over!
As I came out of the airport and boarded the auto ( yes, the auto and not Uber), my senses were blown over by the same nostalgic scent in the air, I have always associated with my hometown. The negotiations with the driver after beginning the trip, are typical of this part of the country and surprisingly I was relishing it (something which I broadly avoid in the not-so-warm Capital city where I stay. In fact there never arises a need, thanks to automated meters). While his lingo was an acquired asset of his growing up, his familiar accent was a by-product of the substance he had been chewing.
As we drove through the streets, I was not-so-amazed at his stunts and cuts and brakes as that was expected! But didn't know to what extent! With a screech of tyres and a small skid, he gave me a second life to relish with only a hurt on my knee. And there, she got ticked again. Yes, the inner her..."Holy COW my girl!!! You're alive! Happy Diwali Punita".
She gave me a broad smile and I found myself smiling at the world around me!
The incident was soon forgotten. I believe all three of us were too much in the festive spirit to hold on to it! The gossip session with the driver was fantalulous, his family history, where his wife belonged, politics, Mr Modi, the struggles if a common man and inflation, the popular advertising campaigns of this new government....I suddenly knew soo much about the city I left 13 years back!! Even that the dal prices were now Rs 45 from Rs 30 earlier.
Confession: I actually got know the current prices of all essentials that I never really bothered to ponder over when purchasing from a super-store!
The wind on my face had a pink chill to it. It heralded the arrival of the cold days ahead.
#TheWinterWasComing
Soon I realized we had almost reached home. As the auto entered the lane, I could hear the intermittent bursts of fire crackers! Over-powering them was my brother's voice "Put the lights correctly, cover every inch of the boundary wall".
There I was... a mixed bag of emotions yet again. Happy to the core with a lump in my throat. The struggle to push it down released a tear from the eye. I was home!
As I paid the auto guy, the inner me ticked again, this time into an action. Handling him over a bigger currency note, she said : This is for your family. Do buy some sweets for them this Diwali."
His smile was precious and pure and so was my mother's hug who had stepped out meanwhile, hearing the auto come. Handing me the phone with dad on the line, he greeted me home. My two little nieces were hanging to my waist, cheering and rejoicing the home-coming !
Yes...this feels like Diwali!
It felt like Diwali yet again.
The festival of home-coming !
And that's the biggest joy for me! More than the crackers or the new clothes or even the reason of festival itself: the celebration of the win of good over evil. The inner voice in me starts its day again : 'Thats maybe because in this era, deciphering the white from black or good from bad has become a matter of perspectives than an extract from religion or culture.'
In the metro city, 'going home' is commonly referred to as going to "gaon" or the village in literal sense! And I was getting a feel of it at that moment.... the desi-me in me was taking over!
As I came out of the airport and boarded the auto ( yes, the auto and not Uber), my senses were blown over by the same nostalgic scent in the air, I have always associated with my hometown. The negotiations with the driver after beginning the trip, are typical of this part of the country and surprisingly I was relishing it (something which I broadly avoid in the not-so-warm Capital city where I stay. In fact there never arises a need, thanks to automated meters). While his lingo was an acquired asset of his growing up, his familiar accent was a by-product of the substance he had been chewing.
As we drove through the streets, I was not-so-amazed at his stunts and cuts and brakes as that was expected! But didn't know to what extent! With a screech of tyres and a small skid, he gave me a second life to relish with only a hurt on my knee. And there, she got ticked again. Yes, the inner her..."Holy COW my girl!!! You're alive! Happy Diwali Punita".
She gave me a broad smile and I found myself smiling at the world around me!
The incident was soon forgotten. I believe all three of us were too much in the festive spirit to hold on to it! The gossip session with the driver was fantalulous, his family history, where his wife belonged, politics, Mr Modi, the struggles if a common man and inflation, the popular advertising campaigns of this new government....I suddenly knew soo much about the city I left 13 years back!! Even that the dal prices were now Rs 45 from Rs 30 earlier.
Confession: I actually got know the current prices of all essentials that I never really bothered to ponder over when purchasing from a super-store!
The wind on my face had a pink chill to it. It heralded the arrival of the cold days ahead.
#TheWinterWasComing
Soon I realized we had almost reached home. As the auto entered the lane, I could hear the intermittent bursts of fire crackers! Over-powering them was my brother's voice "Put the lights correctly, cover every inch of the boundary wall".
There I was... a mixed bag of emotions yet again. Happy to the core with a lump in my throat. The struggle to push it down released a tear from the eye. I was home!
As I paid the auto guy, the inner me ticked again, this time into an action. Handling him over a bigger currency note, she said : This is for your family. Do buy some sweets for them this Diwali."
His smile was precious and pure and so was my mother's hug who had stepped out meanwhile, hearing the auto come. Handing me the phone with dad on the line, he greeted me home. My two little nieces were hanging to my waist, cheering and rejoicing the home-coming !
Yes...this feels like Diwali!
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