Festival of Celebrating Life

Diwali is a very famous festival of India where people decorate their home with rows of clay lamps to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness and to celebrate victory over defeat, light over darkness, awareness over ignorance, an occasion to celebrate life. If anyone today views India from above, it will be the most dramatic landscape giving vibes magnificence and divinity.

Like everyone, Sahitya was also preparing for the festivities and Lakshmi-Ganesh puja and her husband Yashwant were setting up the light lamps, candles and fairy lights outside. The house was glistening and filled up with all types of colors. The atmosphere was filled with the delicious smell of sweets, divine aroma of the sacred flame (jyoth) and peaceful sounds of sacred mantras.

Sahitya was a woman in her fifties and a rich believer of worship text and in sacred holder of infinite power i.e, GOD. You can predict all this just by her immense cautious preparation of hawan, Bhog and in other sacred rituals but even in this sacred occasion there was a tinge of worry and glumness on her face. This year she was expecting to celebrate this festival with all her family, i.e, her son Chandra and her daughter Myra. She was eagerly waiting for both of them, after preparing for the festivities she sat on the chair near the gate watching her neighborhood celebrating the festival with their families and the skies filled with all the colorful sparks and sounds of bursting firecrackers.

Seeing everyone, suddenly she remembered how she celebrated Diwali for the last two years without her children when Corona attacked the world because both of her children are doctors. Her eyes brimmed with tears when she remembered that for the last two years she yearned to see their faces because both of them were continuously working in the intensive unit for treating the people who are suffering from corona. 

A sudden burst of crackers pulled her out of trance, she didn't know a few drops of tears betrayed her and fell down from her eyes and as a sole believer of religion, she hastily wiped those and got up to indulge herself in other works.

After some time, she heard the doorknob twisting and saw her daughter Myra walking in with a smile on her face and behind her her son Chandra which made her elated beyond limits. She almost ran and hugged both of them tightly and this time it was happy tears which got shed. Both of them wiped tears from their mother's face and made silly faces to make her smile.

This year they all sat together and worshiped together. Sahitya's face screamed pure elation, gratitude towards God and satisfaction because this time after a long time her wish was fulfilled. After puja, they all ate mahabhog together and gave offerings to God.

After all rituals ended, Chandra called her Maa to convey to her that he is leaving for the hospital. Sahitya frantically asked him that he just came and why he was leaving again.

Chandra said," Maa, this time everyone will have a Happy Diwali, including me and that brat also."

Again, tears brimmed in her eyes on watching him leave but this time it was tears of pride, exhilaration, elation and love not dissatisfaction and loneliness.