Life seems so renewed and refreshing after one and half months of vacation well spent at India. There was a thread of festive mood extending throughout the span of the vacation either because it was Navarathri or Diwali or because there was the wedding of this person who shared my mom’s womb with me ...my darling sister.
Life in UK for a few years now .. a few thousands of miles away from the homeland had in fact alienated us from hard core celebrations and rejoicing of these festivals . In comparison to jubilation in India ...I should say that whatever we observe in the foreign land on the festival days is just downsized version of the original one.
I still remember ...during my childhood days I would stay awake and restless the whole of the Diwali eve night in anticipation of the next day (Diwali day).Every single aspect of Diwali would be so exciting ... New dresses, crackers, sweets, relatives visiting our house, special TV programmes and what not!!!..More than anything ...we did not have to go to school on these festival days!!!!!!! I would secretly put up a row with the great GOD asking him why there was only one day of Diwali in the whole year....I would yearn for every day in my life to be as special as Diwali day.
Life in UK for a few years now .. a few thousands of miles away from the homeland had in fact alienated us from hard core celebrations and rejoicing of these festivals . In comparison to jubilation in India ...I should say that whatever we observe in the foreign land on the festival days is just downsized version of the original one.
I still remember ...during my childhood days I would stay awake and restless the whole of the Diwali eve night in anticipation of the next day (Diwali day).Every single aspect of Diwali would be so exciting ... New dresses, crackers, sweets, relatives visiting our house, special TV programmes and what not!!!..More than anything ...we did not have to go to school on these festival days!!!!!!! I would secretly put up a row with the great GOD asking him why there was only one day of Diwali in the whole year....I would yearn for every day in my life to be as special as Diwali day.
But as I grew up and set my footprint into adulthood ...that feeling waned away slowly and all these celebrations seemed meaningless and very artificial. Generally in one’s life ...late teens and early 20s are the formative years for fresh thinking when one usually tends to challenge and question the so called usual practises and norms. Trying to be different and rebellious would seem very appealing. In my observation, that would generally be a very short lived phase ..and very sooner do we get drawn back and absorbed into the ways of the society around us and sooner or later we direct some of our efforts towards the understanding of the very purpose and significance of such facets of life.
Festivals have been an integral part of our culture and have been handed over from one generation to another for so many centuries now. In my opinion ..it appears that such occasions have been created with the intention to strengthen our social spirit . The modes of celebrations of both festivals and weddings seem to focus more on social gatherings ..renewing relationships, reinforcing the already established hierarchical structure of our society where elderly people are held in respect. Values like sharing, giving, recognising are being vehemently reminded and triggered. These were purposely meant and designed to break away from the monotony of routine life ...provide an opportunity to think of the next of our kith and kin which is very much needed especially in the current set up of a self centred life .
More than anything these occasions help us to open the doors of our culture and traditions to our kids who are being born and brought up in a completely foreign land. These create a binding to our roots and help our kids in understanding the true substance of our values.
Of course ..it is completely understandable that it is very difficult to emulate the Indian festive ambiance in a foreign land . That is why we should try and spend at least one such occasion in India so that our kids get a real time and firsthand experience of what it is all about..in reality. On the flip side be prepared to endure a heavy damage to your money wallet and get spoilt for choices in terms of shopping.
