In our pre-liberalisation era, Diwali was long awaited festival for many reasons. My parents actually used to get a bonus and gifts from their employers. For my sister and me, Diwali meant new clothes, new shoes, lots of fun goodies to eat, going to relatives / them coming over, exchanging gifts - and again, special Diwali eats. I remember purchasing cloth for getting clothes stitched one month before Diwali... going to the tailor, getting measured and reminding him multiple times to keep the clothes ready before Diwali day. I have fond memories of nights when my mother and grandmother would prepare 'faral' items after the days chores were over. Me, sitting in the kitchen waiting to pop some fresh items as the official taster!
Everyone we knew planned
expenses around the festival. It was THE big thing of the year. For a country
transitioning from agrarian economy to urban industrial areas, the festival
(like many others) meant to connect us our socio-economic-cultural heritage.
All our festivals have
roots in the natural calendar. We had summer weddings because once the spring
harvest was done, there was cash inflow. Post wedding season, there were a slew
of occasions lined up for the newly married girl to visit her parental home -
satya narayan pooja in shravan, rakha bandhan, janma-ashtami, vat pournima,
kojagiri pournima, Ganesh chaturthi, Dussera, and the first Diwali, where she
brought her husband along.
Over the last few years,
my sentiments about most festivals have become more and more practical. The question
that's bothering me is has our perennial prosperity dampened enthusiasm towards
most festivals, especially Diwali? Does having purchasing power all year long
make these festivals any less special?
I buy new clothes, shoes,
gadgets any time of the year. I don’t need an occasion to eat out, celebrate.
The Diwali special eats are available in sweet shops. The
"special-ness" of Diwali has certainly diminished for me, perhaps making
it irrelevant.
Perhaps I am confused between
reminiscing about the Diwali holidays and comparing it with our present day
grind. Perhaps it is disillusionment with the way the festivals are celebrated.
Perhaps it is a reminder to make the most of these occasions to socialise...
I am not bearish about
festivals and festivities. People should continue to do things that make
them happy. Yes, I will continue
to light lamps, and eat the goodies that friends and relatives bring, and
exchange gifts. These are all indicators of the fun times. The 'happiness'
symptoms are all there - just feel that the soul is missing.
