It was 5th Diwali. Diwali- The Most Awaited festival of our country. I still remember days of my childhood when we used to get a full 1 week holiday for this festival- the longest in-session break. Those were the time of celebrations. After more than 25 years, time has changed a lot of things but this festival still never fails to bring back that children in me and I believe that you too have become aware with the specialty of this festival.

“Taali pe Taali, Happy Diwali” you taught us. This was your 5^th Diwali. This season of festivals is very keenly awaited by almost everyone in this country: children-grownups, buyer-seller,  young-elderly alike. This season begins in the month of August with the celebration of Janmashtami followed by Rakshabandhan, your b’day, mummy b’day, Dussehra, Durga Pooja, Kali Pooja, Diwali, Bhai Dooj- a packed schedules of festivals. Our ancestors could have done better by spreading these festivals across the years thus not making us wait for complete one year to observe next festivities- Holi is exception; which some good wise man must have included in our annual schedule certainly by looking at the dearth of festivals we have in first half of year. I seriously think so, and will like to know your view on this topic someday.

Now to main topic: this Diwali. Our festival started early when you arrived at Chandigarh with Mom on 14^th October 2021.

Countdown of 59 days since you left on 16^th August came to an end and you landed at Delhi airport. It was hell of a planning: I reached Delhi airport at 08:00 PM, and waited there till 02:00 AM when you flight landed.

Even at exit gate, you were so busy with your new toy that you couldn’t see that I was standing there near the gate till I came to lift you in my arms. You have become quite a chatterbox now a days, with lots of curiosities and questions about almost everything, you demand a realistic and logical answer for your every question. We hurried to the taxi so as to reach Delhi Railway station at time as our train to Chandigarh was scheduled for departure at 04:00 AM, and quite surprisingly it was running on time. Although i feared missing the train when Auto driver took more time than expected, we finally boarded the train comfortably and then our real discussion started. We had so many things to discuss which happened in last 59 days and as train was almost empty, there was no one to raise objection about our long and sometime loud discussion at 4AM. We reached Chandigarh at around 10 AM and your happiness knew no boundaries.

Notwithstanding the tiredness of long travel, we went for Mela at night of 14^th and your joy there knew no boundaries as you went from one ride to another as we stood there watching and enjoying many shades of emotions on your face: excitement, fear, curiosity, and happiness.

Next day was another exciting outing: Chattbir Zoo. No doubt it was a tiring trip: 7kM walk in the forest and out of which you traveled at least 5 km on feet and rest 2 km on a purpose-built vehicle: my Solder, but the trip was worth it with sighting go Tiger, Leopard, Emu, Ostrich, verities of birds, Crocodile: your favorite and many more species of moneys, deer.

We couldn’t find Lion which disappointed you a little but it was soon made up with the Dinosaur museum in which landscape was fashioned to look like pre-historic time when Dinosaur walked this earth.

Museum housed mechanized Dinosaurs moving their eyes, opening their mouth, flapping their wings. It was a full paisa-vasul entertainment for you.

When you were exiting the Zoo, after 7km walk, you still had energy left and insisted us to go for a second trip of zoo to find the Lion; which obviously we refused albeit lovingly.

Then 16^th was day for another Mela: a bigger rides, shops, and lot of eatouts, out of which you chose rides which was not at all surprising. We went for a swirling car ride, which made our heads spinning to which you suggested to close the eyes and remember the God “papa God ko Bolo hamari help kare.”

When you went for a helicopter ride mom bought special tea: costing Rs 40 each cup which was so horrible that we couldn’t take second sip of it and threw it to the dustbin as we watched people crowding over the stall to buy the “Special matka Chai” and wondered how easily that stall owner was hoodwinking people openly selling cheap, almost 1 Rs product for 40 Rs but then this is how market works, exclusiveness fools people at least for the first time.

17^th was Dussehra and we took a break from longer outings to a mere mall stroll. We went to Elante Mall of Chandigarh: ponce touted as the biggest mall of India. It was nice outing of us but not that nice for you and reason goes like this: you fought hard and won getting gummy bear candies but later decided to share all those candies with us not out of affection but because those candies were outrageously distasteful :-). Every day spent with you gifts me such a treasure trove of innumerable moments of joy and surprises that although by no mean I can pen down or have them recorded in any form, my memory will never fail me to cherish them at any and every stage of my life.

Next our big day was celebration of the Laxmi Pooja on 19th which your mother meticulously prepared for as she always does and you enjoyed it as you always do, mostly busy with offering your prayers to the another pooja spot you made alongside the Laxmi Pooja.

These small occasions helps us connect back to our roots and cultures and reminds us about from where we started, no matter how far we came that point of origin will remain same, for this country, for its people, for us. I would wish that you and your generations keep these traditions alive even though even if it requires some tweaking in the rituals like our generations did I confess.

We went for the boating in the famous Sukna Lake of Chandigarh. This lake is man made and was designed by the french architect who designed this city attracting the most number of out-of-city visitors as well as Chandigarh dwellers alike. We took 45 minutes ride in the hand-rowed boats and you absolutely enjoyed it.

Whole boating was video graphed by you as you demanded the boatman to go further in the water while dipping your hands in the lake waters till you were told that there may be crocodile in the water. Next big day was Karwa Chauth, a day on which mom observes fasting for my long and healthy life: again an old ages tradition of our thousand years old culture.

On 28^th we left for Kolkata for our second leg of celebrations.

You were very happy to welcome me at mummy’s home: as you innocently call Kolkata. You have demarcated homes for everyone; Papa home: Chandigarh, Mummy Home: Kolkata, Your home: Vadodara and indirectly indicating how many changes your life has seen in these just 5 years.

Our first target on reaching Kolkata was cleaning of the house before Diwali. It was infested by cockroaches and you didn’t like even a bit of it, which prompted me to wipe out those cockroaches completely from the face of earth 🙂 just kidding, I wanted to kill as many as possible. With vacuum cleaner at our disposal we made a lethal team and pounded upon the encroaching army of cockroaches ruthlessly. This went on for 2-3 days till we restrained them to a limited territory :-).

2^nd November was my b’day and it was well planned by mom at one of the reputed hotel : J W Marriott Kolkata. Party was attended by Mama, Mami, Nana, Nani, Babu Dada and his son who is undoubtedly very good friend of yours. You enjoyed more playing with him, than savoring the food.

You chose your own delicacies and enjoyed them. Next day we went for the shopping of crackers, for which you carried a printed version of crackers photos to shop and asked the shopkeepers to give those crackers only.

One cracker which was not in the list but was first to be bought by you was the popup crackers. I have given a photo below and will ensure that you always have these crackers every Diwali.

4th night we left for Mama’s place after doing Ganesh Laxmi Pooja at Eden city flat.

At Mama’s place we planned to celebrate Kali Pooja and Diwali : “Tali pe tali happy Diwali.” Mama is your favorite and I have no doubt in it, as he heeds you every demand and pampers you. It was first Kali Pooja for me and you but for Mom it has been her biggest celebration since her childhood and this festival is very close to her heart. You too enjoyed listening story of

Kali Bhagwan from Nani and Mama before we went for the cracker bursting at the roof in which always you participated from remote only guiding others and distributing crackers.

We burst Anar, Rocket, chakri and butterfly. Diwali has a sense of celebration ingrained in it. Even if next day after Diwali is not much different but sense of celebration is gone, even if you burst the crackers, devour sweets. Since childhood i always bid adieu to Diwali night with heavy heart always wishing it will stay forever and those memories came alive when you asked me “why Diwali is gone papa ? I don’t like it going, I want Diwali to stay”. It was deja-vu feeling, same words, same heavy heart. Always remember that great moments are great just because they are not perpetual, they are worth treasuring that’s why they are called great moments of life and they will no longer remain so if they stayed forever. I wish you see innumerable Diwali in your life and celebrate the life to the fullest.

Next day it was bhai dooj, another big celebration at Mom’s place. in the night Mama took us all for the sightseeing of famous Kali Pandals around the city, a trip worth taking-

Next day on 6th we returned to the Eden City flat. The time spent together for 25 days was longest after you left for Kolkata and it was time for me to leave for Chandigarh.

Count down has again begun: 43 days remaining…….

-With love Mummy and Papa