Unseen Diwalis

The aroma of the shimmering

Incense sticks and

The lump of sandal paste

Unable to hold itself together

On a flat banana leaf

Mesmerizes you still.

The warmth oozing out of

Those Diwali gatherings

Of undivided families, beyond roots,

To welcome the august arrival

Of ancestry in a mystic form

Comforts you still.

But, the imminent anguish for

The days unseen, of a new generation

Inconsiderate to the weakening links

To its cultural roots and rich ancestry

In a false pursuit for riches and fame –

Doesn’t that send a chill down your spine?