GLEAMS UNRAVELLED

Its Diwali and I hear distant sounds of crackers.

Time for a little retrospection – I remember the time when I  was in school, Diwali was the most memorable festival for me. The bursting of crackers starts a few days before the festival. In the night, when all our neighbors start first with their flowerpots, followed by rockets the happiest times begin with a great pleasure. My mom used to wake us(me and my bro) up early in the morning( Early is not less than 6 or 7 o clock for us ;-) ) And apply oil in the head and we fight who has to go and take bath first. My mom prepares lots of festival sweets like muruku,adhirasam etc and it is not to be touched before prayer. We would be waiting for the prayer to get over so that we can take and start munching them ;-) I am not an eatomania either.  But still diwali muruku was not to be missed !

The strong competition starts between all our neighbors on the day of Diwali. Who bursts the highest number of crackers, who bursts all the high-end cracker (for e.g. atom bomb) and who bursts without any fear. I was one person who had always feared for bursting crackers. My dad used to shout from the balcony “Come on go and keep the fire”. But then when I near the cracker, the same time someone in the next house would come for doing the same. And then the fear starts gripping me and I take my step back. For to stand behind the gate and look at the cracker being burst by someone else. Always it used to be so much fun watching different people bursting crackers all over the street. At around 11 o clock the street calms down, we used to hear sounds only from a distance.

Then we start watching programs in Television where you hear the same sound from all houses. Everyone trying to have his or her TV’s volume the maximum.

I remember the first time when I burst an atom bomb. I kept fire and ran off at least a 100 meters fearing what would happen to me – The first and the last time it happened was in 1998. Now 10 years later I am sitting inside my house watching television and listening to the distant sounds of crackers. No entertainment. Just hearing sounds and a few sights of some children in the apartment who are holding sparkles and bursting a little lightweight crackers.

And in the night colorful rockets adorn the sky and it is just an awesome sight to watch.

Yea ! I only watch.

Diwali dress was also very special those days. I would be waiting for the D-day to wear my new dress and roam around the area for one whole day. Now I get a dress whenever I feel like buying it, and no occasion needed to wear it. And today’s diwali dress is happily sitting inside my cupboard.

Times haven’t changed Only we have changed.

Still the children near my old area would burst crackers the same way as I did , there would be someone who is very strong , someone who is fearless and someone who is not, someone who bursts the highest number and someone who merely watches.

Anyways, it’s diwali and a little nostalgia in me does no harm.

I read somewhere that Diwali is a time when the darkness inside your soul should be lightened by the light of the crackers and sparkles. The best time to get out of depression by watching all the light around us.  So a great festival indeed !

Happy Diwali :)