Deepavali as I remember two decades/decade & a half back……

The preparations used to start right in earnest the next day of Dushera. Cleaning of the house to be done - all the cupboards to be emptied, with shouts of joy finding the same things over again (never mind that they would be kept back in the same place for another year) sheets, curtains to be washed in the olden days, then came dry cleaning, the entire house to be washed; lots of savories chakli, mathia, gathia, puri (3-4 varieties) amongst others & different variety & array of sweets to be prepared. This entailed kids to be shooed out since they would insist on tasting everything. No matter the women in the house would taste everything & then also invite criticism…Woe betide anybody who dare say something bad….

Then the Menu planning would begin from the Ekadashi till Bhai Duj (6-7 days depending on the calendar). Mornings would always be with full meals with different delicacies cooked for only that day, whilst evenings would be the savories hoarded in large containers in the store room along with a single meal such as puri bhaji; thepla aachar & then later times pav bhaji, dosa etc. This also turned vice versa the day you went visiting neighbors, relatives…….

During the time, the Men would be working out the budget for new clothes (a must); crackers and other essentials.

Then the waiting began……count down would be monitored strictly by the elders……

Ekadashi was the start, when Deepavali was officially flagged off. Some rules were to be strictly followed……. Early to rise (as early as 5 am); cleanliness a must; A long puja conducted either by the elders or a pujari (remember this was pre nuclear family) before you could even think breakfast!!!

On Divali day or the New Year (as gujarati & sindhi’s practice) the new clothes would be brought out, after the bath…..first visit to the temple, where acquaintances would be greeted ‘Saal Mubarak’ & the youngsters would be pushed to touch uncle/aunty’s feet, which we would love to since a Re.1 or even 5 would be assured that day. On the way back there would be a round of visits to neighbors, relatives where one could quietly stuff oneself with all the delicacies since the elders were busy playing catch up.

Games, Crackers ruled the day & night, with everyone gathering in a common place, gossip, chatting till late nights. The elders would allow kids to run around…..rule being…..no complaints about getting up the next morning.

With the Bhai Duj, deepavali ended & it was off to work for the men cribbing but eager to share the news of how they spent their divali; women finally happy to have their house back but had to clean up & put the store room in order & the kids had to be threatened to complete the homework before school started again.

NOW

There are no preparations. Most nuclear families, with working parents are dependent on the Bai to complete the cleaning. And the main worry - if we push her to do it properly, she may go to her native & not come back!!! With the water shortage, forget washing anything, curtains, bed sheets either dry-clean them or replace them with the new offers from Big Bazaar, Hypercity & what not. The savories are more eclectic - mexican tacos; chips etc. all bought from the nearest store that has Offers going on. And what with everyone on a perpetual diet……all of it has to be low cal. Nobody likes it at home, but everyone pretends that it is awesome….after all whom do you complain to??? The store? The manufacturer?

Everything else would depend on number of holidays - ranging from 2-3; if you are lucky & can club the weekend then 5 days.

The first choice would be to go away for Divali, either native but that has gone out of fashion thanks to travel time, less holidays & really nobody left there except some old bua or chacha. The most popular choice would be a nice hill station or beach - 5 star for those who can afford or shack, rental bungalow for those who cannot - this can be in India or international.

If not, due to circumstances forbid, then the children hold sway followed by the wife……Menus of all the neighboring restaurants are pulled out & the planning begins - takeaway or going there to eat - Malls, multiplexes contribute to the chaos.

New clothes no longer have their novelty since we buy when there is a Sale or Offer - which these days seems 365 days……Crackers due to the awareness of noise pollution are a Big NO NO….but that does not mean you escape the expense….that is taken out for some new TV/Computer game/music system/oven etc. (Oh! God where are the days when One fridge lasted a couple of generations, TV was only one - today there are 2-3 in a one bedroom flat)

There is no flag off……sleep in late……..revive yourself with tea/coffee, then wait whilst the family commandeers the bath & finally all of you are ready…….to sit & renegotiate the menu or going out amidst cries of shut the TV, switch off the music….

With similar friends, neighbors there may be a joint effort at a party in someone’s house or common terrace, where the fortunate women display the jewellery, clothes & other products whilst the not so fortunate sigh in envy. The men have their own agenda, with a couple of drinks high on that, whilst children are comparing notes in order to start the blackmail the next day.

The late night ensures a late start………NEW YEAR is flagged off with the beep, whirrr, tone of text messages being received (hang those phone companies) on all the phones in your house(today it is common to have 6-7 phones for a family of 4……remember the days when a phone used to take 7-10 years to be allotted)AND then courtesy demands that you answer all the text…..with some unknown numbers where you have to ask who this is(fail to understand why on this bulk text names are not written)

Last day needs to be celebrated with a good lunch or dinner & there ends your holiday……….

At least if you are lucky you have managed to spend time with your family……..which is rare these days….!!!! But just like everything Deepavali has also become commercialized…