One more trip to the lovely HOME. This time, it was Diwali Celebrations.
Now, that I am looking back at all the trips that I took, I have realized that I have visited home more often that I thought. When I came to the US, I felt like I should have spent more time home, but now that I am going through all these moments and pictures, I realized enough is not enough when it comes to Family and Home.
Anyway, it was Diwali or Dipawali, whichever you prefer. This is the single biggest festival Hindu people celebrate back in India, and these throughout the world. By this time, we have spread across the globe and there is hardly an untouched territory where we (Indians) haven’t stepped our foot yet.
So, We have to celebrate Diwali at two separate occasions. This is because my Dad owns a grocery store and being the shop owner, he prefers to keep these celebrations discrete. We celebrate the Diwali at home on the day of the Diwali, also known as LaxmiPoojan, and the Diwali at the store five days later – a.k.a. Panchami. You can read more about it here.
This usually is the setup at our home. My MOM puts extra efforts to make sure everything looks perfect and presentable. I remember, her taking more time to setup this, which I really loved (even though being an atheist myself).
In the past, when we were kids, we used to shop a lot for Diwali celebrations, which gradually faded over as we grew older. This year, I remember, shopping nothing for this, as I knew, I was supposed to take off for the US and was trying to save some money by not buying anything for myself. I felt so grown up now that I think about it.
I wore an old traditional kurta, couple with a cheap Nehru jacket and the black jeans to with it. I don’t know what was I thinking! Good old times.
Here, I am with my two sisters – Shubhu Tai and Dikshu Tai.
We clicked so many pictures that day (knowing that it might be the last Diwali I celebrate at home for foreseeable future). Here, you can see me *barely* smiling in the picture when I was praying the deity for the well-being of my parents, sisters, and family.
I usually make this face when I am forcefully smiling. Anyway, good old memories.
And here are my producers! 🤪 I loved my Mom’s stud that she is wearing in her nose in the picture below. In my mother tongue, it is called NATHANI (नथणी). And, I think, it is customary to wear the hat/cap that my Dad is wearing. Even, I wore it one time during the Pooja ceremony.
After the Pooja and other proceedings were done, we had a lovely dinner, with everyone together. It was refreshing to spend time with each other instead of gluing ourselves to out phones, which our parents hate. (everyone’s parents hate, I guess).
In summary, it was a good trip and I have preserved it as the last Diwali with family at Home. I don’t know when I will get to travel home again and experience the same energy and love that I used to while celebrating it with my family. So, if you are staying with your parents and hating it, please don’t, you will miss these moments later and then there won’t be any way to get/earn those moments back.
Enough gyaan for today.
Take care!
stochasticity 