A Special Diwali

Me & my wife celebrate Diwali with great fun every year. But this Diwali was the most beautiful one. As usual, 3 to 4 days prior to the actual date, we were discussing what to do this Diwali. So that there is no rush at the exact moment, we did all the shopping in advance & we also distributed sweets & gifts among friends - relatives well in advance. My wife was planning something but she did not tell me. The best thing was we have purchased all the things required for Diwali Celebration & Lakshmi poojan. It felt like we are well equipped & now we just have to enjoy Diwali.

Finally the day came. I asked my wife, "So what should we do today? I suppose we have nothing to do today except watching TV till night." My wife smiled & said, "Open that drawyer behind you." I did that. To my suprise, that drawyer was full of large number of sweets, chocolate & gifts. I asked, "What is this? It's looking great but please tell me the purpose of this." My wife said, "Put these things in car & let's go." I was surprised but I followed my wife's instructions. I put all those things in car & my wife started to guide me towards a destination about which I did not know anything. I was just looking at her with confusion. Very soon we reached a beautiful big home. It was an orphanage.

We came out of the Car & moved towards the office of the owner of the orphanage. As we met him my wife said, "Sir, we want your permission to celebrate Diwali with the kids here. I have brought some gifts for them. Will you allow me to do so." The kind owner said, "Why not, It's a divine act." Saying these words the owner introduced me with the students of orphanage & I distributed gifts among them. All of them were very happy. It was evening. The owner of the orphanage made arrangements & we celebrated Diwali. Crackers were burnt & everyone was happy. In the meantime, I also had discussions with the owner about the orphanage. I asked, "Sir, I know what is an orphanage but kindly tell me why people leave their children." The owner said, "There may be many reasons. Have you observed one thing? In my orphanage the count of girls is more than boys." I said, "Yes Sir,but whay is that so."

The owner, with wet eyes & anger in his voice, said, "It is because people feel that a girl is a burden. They will have to raise her & will arrange for her dowry as she grows. So either just kill the girl child in the womb of throw her after birth.

The people who are actually homeless, our bus covers entire city everyday to provide food, shelter & other necessary things to them." I enjoyed a lot with the children over there after celebrating Diwali, I was on my way back to my home. Sweet smile of kindness & heartful gesture of children was still visible to me in my mind. That was the most special Diwali I ever celebrated. On the way, I said to my wife, "We did great thing today. I am mentally satisfied." She looked at me & said, " When people of the world start realising that girls are also equally important as boys, that will me the actual day of mental satisfaction for this entire world & then, everyday will be Diwali."

I was just looking at my wife. As a woman, she can understand that pain. Throughout the way back to home, we did not say anything to each other but a kind of satisfaction was visible on our faces , may be because we brought happiness on the faces of children. That was actually, A Special Diwali.