We had written essays in school that ‘Dewali’ meant the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance. Now all festivities have a luminous fervor- magnificently lighted opulent sky-scraper monuments, starry parties, sweet counters overflowing & a mad rush to shopping malls for goodies/gift-packs to splurge on. You shop till you drop, the corporates gift clients and we message beautiful greetings to friends and love ones on SM !
In it’s on-line, digital, electronic, glossy and high cost form, ‘Dewali’ has undergone as much transformation as the lives of those from the 1970s era. They’d light earthen diyas, bargain with shopkeepers for small discounts on crackers, charkhas, anars, rockets to fit a Rs.100 budget. Much enthusiasm was reserved by home-makers in decorating homes (even if humble), adorning themselves with special Dewali dresses, home made sweets and bon-homie happily shared with the community. Children had great fun blowing up parent’s hard-earned savings but everyone joyous with whatever they had managed.
One wishes peace, prosperity, well-being and better lives for all & special prayers for health of our senior citizens but what do we think of the way things are ? A touching message came to us from unknown quarters – from an Auto-wala who stopped to pick us when others were flying past in a mad rush. We didn’t have far to go and as he stopped at our destination, there was that inevitable problem of change, we had only Rs.100/- ones & no small notes. The Auto-wala folded his hands and said ‘I don’t want money, just give your blessings’. In my two decades in Mumbai, he was a first. He showed that even today not everyone is just after money !
Working on Living 