HaPpY DiWaLi!

Dedicated to my Mother , Father and Sister. All my childhood friends, to childhoods, to being with one's family... to sweets and savouries equally~~~!!!!

There is a nip in the air...almost the same as last year...but my smile's not as wide as then because this year I'm missing my family a great deal...my mom, dad n sis. My own.

The lights are fewer, there are fewer people in the market, even fewer fireworks [which is good, please keep the sound works to a minimum...they scare humans and animals alike.] ... there's no rush at the sweet shops owing to well...you know what, you have a tv at home!

But the lights are there, the weather is cooler and children as as enthusiastic as they were last year...its still my favortie festival and no matter how much i may deny it, this year too I will make a rangoli...

I've already done the cleaning and washing and reorganizing...right down to the fish tank.

I'm missing the wonderful smells of mathri, besan ka laddoo and namakpare and sev that mom used to make after we went to bed, after all her other work was done at night...me and my sister would lie in bed and I'd plot how to get my hands on some of the goodies...sometimes we'd go and ambush her anyway... I was always anxious that everyone would eat them all up and then what would be left for us eh?

And on the day itself, every year, every single year...we wore new clothes...lit candles, stood in prayer, mom made a whole tablefull of goodies [snacks] to serve to all the visitors [ mouthwatering kachoris, dahi vadey, namkeen, chholey bhaturey, paneer gravy, pulao, ...we sometimes made tiny rangolis outside the door. We couldn't wait to meet all the people and their kids...we also couldn't wait for them to go [usually around 1030pm] after which the four of us would set out to one of our family friend's place for the diwali party where the women would all be lookin fresh, beautiful, the dad's would be wearing kurta pajamas and drinking and playing cards [bad].

The kids would all be fresh, lighting up crackers in the balcony secretly [not allowed in dubai]...mostly phooljhadis.
We would eat, drink and be merry [and fret a bit about school the next day. ]
I wish I could be a schoolgirl again , if only for the festivals. For a chance to be with my family and friends from childhood again.

Happy diwali all of you who read my blog and all of you who have stumbled by!

A few ways to make this day more enjoyable! :

Please don't count calories and grumble.

Please don't light sound crackers because they scare animals and have the power to deafen any species.

Keep your pets close by give them a small closet to curl up in :o)

Don't be petty about giving gifts or recieving them. Everyone cannot afford to be luxurious.

Of course always be kinder than necessary...everyone we meet is fighting some kind of battle.