Diyas, Mithayis, Patakhas, Rangolis, New clothes, Laxmi puja, Parents blessings – in kind and cash, both! … (not necessarily in the same order!) … are the vivid images which conjure up in my mind when I think of Diwali celebrations. But all these changed when I witnessed Diwali celebrations in Delhi – more than a decade ago when I moved to this city.
Here, in this richest Indian megapolis, I found the concept of Diwali to be different. Though the essential ingredients of Diwali seemed to be intact to a large extent, but I was amused to find that the fundamental focus in Diwali was on “gifting” – to relatives, friends and business contacts. I felt Diwali to be more of a CRM annual ritual than a family festival. It was funny to see people running mad all over the city with “gifts”, adding further to the extremely chaotic traffic conditions in days nearing Diwali, as if contesting in a race in Customer Relationship Management (CRM)! And even weirder was the realization that almost all of these relatives, friends and business contacts were to be forgotten comfortably till the next Diwali arrived when the exercise in CRM would start all over again! … In the entire process, it’s the family which gets the least importance, I guess.
Delhi’s Diwali is different in yet another basic aspect: here, people do not light diyas but instead decorate their home with multicoloured electrical bulbs. Frankly, these artificial tools of lighting accentuate the ugliness of surroundings. I actually wonder if Delhiites get too tired “giving & receiving gifts” that they are left with no energy to go through the procedure of diya lighting: putting oil and wick in earthen diyas, arranging them on roof and walls, and then lighting them at dusk on Diwali day. If only these Delhi residents had the opportunity to enjoy Diwali in other parts of the country and see the beauty of homes decorated with diyas, I am sure, they would relinquish these electrical bulbs forever.
Hopefully, the ever-running and ever-consuming Delhi will halt temporarily in its pace and enjoy Diwali in its true sense: a family festival, an occasion for the family to be together and celebrate, and pray for God’s blessings for prosperity and peace.
Every Diwali I pray: Let there be light - in every human’s heart, mind and soul :)
Here, in this richest Indian megapolis, I found the concept of Diwali to be different. Though the essential ingredients of Diwali seemed to be intact to a large extent, but I was amused to find that the fundamental focus in Diwali was on “gifting” – to relatives, friends and business contacts. I felt Diwali to be more of a CRM annual ritual than a family festival. It was funny to see people running mad all over the city with “gifts”, adding further to the extremely chaotic traffic conditions in days nearing Diwali, as if contesting in a race in Customer Relationship Management (CRM)! And even weirder was the realization that almost all of these relatives, friends and business contacts were to be forgotten comfortably till the next Diwali arrived when the exercise in CRM would start all over again! … In the entire process, it’s the family which gets the least importance, I guess.
Delhi’s Diwali is different in yet another basic aspect: here, people do not light diyas but instead decorate their home with multicoloured electrical bulbs. Frankly, these artificial tools of lighting accentuate the ugliness of surroundings. I actually wonder if Delhiites get too tired “giving & receiving gifts” that they are left with no energy to go through the procedure of diya lighting: putting oil and wick in earthen diyas, arranging them on roof and walls, and then lighting them at dusk on Diwali day. If only these Delhi residents had the opportunity to enjoy Diwali in other parts of the country and see the beauty of homes decorated with diyas, I am sure, they would relinquish these electrical bulbs forever.
Hopefully, the ever-running and ever-consuming Delhi will halt temporarily in its pace and enjoy Diwali in its true sense: a family festival, an occasion for the family to be together and celebrate, and pray for God’s blessings for prosperity and peace.
Every Diwali I pray: Let there be light - in every human’s heart, mind and soul :)
Happy Diwali!
