Everywhere, the Lights!

back in the late 80s and early 90s, every year, this morning, a family would soak a bunch of diyas in a bucket of water, and go to buy sweets [sugar candy shaped like gods and godesses] and rice crispies [moori] from an old lady sitting next to a watch shop. And of course, firecrackers, lots of them [including some country-made sutli-bombs]!

The afternoon was spent in making the wicks for the diyas out of cotton, a delicate process -- too thin and it won't burn. Too fluffy and it would burn too fast.

As the sun started to set, father and sons would get atop the roof and start a pipelined process of setting the diyas, filling them with oil, and lighting them, while the mother conjured magic in the kitchen in the form of a ton of delicious foods.

And as the darkness set, this darkest of nights was transformed into a beautiful, lighted festival, which the whole family enjoyed together!

Oh, how I wish to relive those days.

Mom, Dad, Bhai -- Happy Diwali! [and to all you folks missing their loved ones today]

and to my readers, I give the following:


best wishes from me, wearing a Kurta in my office in Paris, while bhai is on a trek near Atlanta, and Mom and Dad are in Patna :-|.

P.S. NPR on Diwali in India, and in USA.