Divali

First things first, allow me to wish you a Dazzling Divali! :D

This is not a post about Ramayana or the Gods. :)

Divali has always been one festival that I held close to my heart.

Lights are always enchanting and I particularly love the yellow nuances and dance on the lamps. 

There's always been a mystifying aspect to light, especially that which comes from the flames.

The yellow flames flicker and dance with no thought of the oxygen or the fuel they consumed. They have no appreciation of what has been given to them and no concern for what would be left after. 

Yet, whilst it has the power to shine the path of someone, it also has the power to incinerate the path with its darting rays.

As a three-year-old toddler, there was no way I could ever forget about that Divali and how much of a glorified event it was. Bizarrely, it has never been because of the feast of firecrackers that has the capacity to "wow" audiences, but rather out of the fright of my parents having yet another opportunity to light crackers and scare me so that I could gulp down my dinner. 

Yes, when I was younger I was pretty scared of this festival but for sure, Dad always managed to divert my baby eyes towards the big 1998 lighted colored bulbs as a distraction!

And then as I grew up, I started to understand the importance of family reunions for Divali. I thoroughly enjoyed how my elder cousins would reunite in one breath and enjoy burning firecrackers. I loved the idea of Dad taking me to the local shop to buy some for myself. Yes, I recall the Phuljares* that I'm still a fan of. 

*Sparklers : Entertaining and child-friendly, it is a very simple and humble form of a firework. Handheld sparklers, when lit, emit a constant stream of sparks, some sputter noisily. Waving the stick around outside makes for a dazzling display of shapes in the evening darkness.

A Divali without them is just not a Divali!

I also love the Ladis: An Indian favorite! These shotgun crackers come in different quantities. Their distinct ‘pataka’ sound is something you will always hear around your neighborhood, during Diwali, and of course weddings.

I loved to have my grandma cook for the family and having my uncles and aunts having dinner in the typical Mauritian folklore.

My brother didn't exist back then.

But when he took birth, that was around the time my elder cousins were getting married. It was around the time my uncles were becoming Grandads. And things grew more individualistic.

Cakes are now exchanged virtually as well as wishes. 

You got it right, it was the transition from an extended family to a nuclear one.

But there are some amazing memories that are attached with Divali, beautiful ones.

From having to cuddle Dino, my grandma's pet because she's afraid of firecrackers to hearing my Dad woo my mom to make more cakes, there are traditions which have been established somehow.

I still prefer lighted lamps, much to the dismay of my mom who complains of the flooring getting all oily. My father and I still argue about the fashion in which the lights should be fixed. My mom and I still shoo my brother away from the kitchen just in case he decides to get impish.

Talking about him, there I recall a childhood memory of his.

I remember how when he was 4 years old, mom asked the chubby little face to take the Jalebis we had just prepared and offer it to the Gods in the Temple. In our culture, Hindus have this place in their houses or yards where idols of different deities have been placed. So here off went you young baby, proudly brandishing the plate of Jalebis my mom had just handed over to me, probably thinking that he is bring now considered big enough to be given a responsibility! 7 minutes after, he barges in the kitchen with an innocent face and an empty plate. 

"You placed the sweets there Geemeylan?" asked my mom.

"Yes, but Hanuman was not eating. I told him to eat time and again, but he really was not eating! I waited. He would not even move Momma!" cried my brother quiet frantically.

"So I asked Hanuman for permission, and ate the Jalebis myself!"

He was actually expecting the copper idol to extend its hands and eat!

Memories these are!  ="D