A commemoration

Was it just luck or written- I got holidays when I needed them the most. After all, I have been rubbing my already blocked mind and soul at college like anything, I desperately needed a break! My plans were simple, study a bit, sleep more and take all the heavenly rest I deserve. I imagined my classmates going on a college trip to Himachal, which I avoided for simple reasons- I needed time with myself, with my family (after all it is a festival clock) and sleep a lot of course.So, the holidays kicked off with great zeal and zest in sleeping mode. However, the first and last days of navratreys are affixed for fast, which never-the-less, never leave my hungry. All the 'fast' food is still to eat, the fruit chaat made each hour of green apples (my favorites) and pears could never get my hands off them. The same time, starts Durga Puja, for which Samvita shopped like mads! And I helped her getting more mad. Durga Puja, one of my favorites, even though isn't of my culture, despite that, I despise this event greatly! A great night (till 9 pm) with old friends, with whom I barely get to spend some time, will something be I'll always live up to. The pandal, the stalls, the dance, music, drama stage, the women in bengali sarees, the men in traditional (eye stealing for me), the acquaintances all over (after all, its one of the best in Dwarka, at Samvita's (Bengali) Society), the giant statue studded in gold seeming shimmering avatar was something worth giving all senses.

Finally, navami! Aah! What a day! The essence of essence sticks which I love the most, watering the tulsi plant (which I never do), the red little tika on forehead by mum is something I again love. The day began in setting the puja with my society's over dressed, dazzling in beautiful bellies and clutches, juvenile girls was a fun as always. Teasing them, discussing about from how and where they got their special attires they are wearing is full of oohs and aahs, trust me. The same evening, final day at Durga Puja kicked off at which I went at with my brother & sister. My near to heart, Dhunuchi Puja, somehow got repeated on navami (which is glued for ashthami only) set my mind on fire! What an awesome and must watch competition it is! The lovely expressions, the music of dhol. God! You've missed a lot if you miss that at Durga Puja.

At 9:30pm, dad and mum picks us up in car and continued our journey to Ramlila Ground, sector 11. As a matter of fact, it was the first of theirs, so with so many mistakes and forgetting the lines, turned up more into a comedy, with over 1 lakh people laughing. The best part: Indrajeet setting a sparkling arrow at Lakshman, with full background music and  all spotlights at them, and the arrow just fell like 2 cm away from him. On and on creating a little fire on the stage. That Indrajeet bent over to lower the tiny fire resulting in falling of his crown, which left the crowd laughing. And yes! The feather on the cap was when Hanuman coming down from the crane like Akshay Kumar with one hand like superman and a lighted umbrella in another hand (seeming like a little mountain of Sanjeevani Booti), who got stuck in middle and revolving full 360 degrees at one spot. Oh! Ramlilas are a must watch every year for me. Coming out, I bought a little thing which parents call a firki, a sort of colored windmill on both sides.

Today, on Vijaydashmi, Dussehra, how can I dare to miss the Ravana Dehen. So, me, sister, dad went to the same ramlila ground and watched over a thousand rockets shining in sky one after another and finally the awesome dehen which even left the aside metro running on track slower down its speed and let all its passengers glued to the windows and doors gazing down here.

However, we reached late, so had to view it from outside the ground, the back side actually, still that memorizing moment left all of us awed and aahed with wow! coming out of our mouths at each colorful blast. Many children sitting on their dad's shoulder left me jealous. Agreed, am light weighed, but not that that  my dad would make me sit on his shoulders. I so missed my childhood then.

Home back, my society for the first time, managed to make little ravana, legs of which were made by my brother was a cherry on the cake.

What a week it was! Filled with festival enthusiasm, colors, crackers, puja, everything! How gracefully, I managed not only time for myself, for friends, for family, but also for the greatest existing power on the planet- God, which wasn't even in the plan. Am glad I didn't go anywhere, am glad I stayed at home and saw my home getting converted into God's own graced. The culture all resides here.

Looking forward to Diwali now!