The Essence of Diwali ✨

Manita V

I remember when we were young kids, our Diwali festival would mainly be about 20 days of school holidays and 5 days of immense happiness, fun, love, and indulgence in goodies.

Decluttering old stuff, cleaning the entire house and getting it painted and repaired at whatever parts needed attention, starting as early as 15 days before the festival. Sweets prepared by my ma, making rangoli and toran outside the house, decorating the house with flowers, getting ready, applying henna on hands, entire family wearing our newest and heavy festival clothes and gathering for prayers, lighting clay diyas, going to the markets to observe the beautifully decorated shops, visiting houses of family friends, relatives and close friends. Exchanging gifts. Wishing on phone, all those who stayed outstation.
2 days before and 2 days after the main event, the festivities and prayers continued in a row, one after the other.

While growing up, a lot of ready-made stuff made entry in all our houses, and subtly became a part of Diwali preparation at ours, friends’ and relatives’ homes. Some rituals got a quick-fix treatment. Some were done away with due to lack of time. Everyone seemed to be busy and tied up as years passed.

But one thing always remained constant. And that was the ‘spirit of Diwali’
The spirit of togetherness, of family re-union, of staying in touch with our roots, and remembering that the essence of every festival is to share with the lesser fortunate ones, to care for people dependent on you, like your helpers, assistants, staff, to make people around you happy, to include neighbours, friends, and everyone known to you in even smallest of joys, whether lighting the lamps, or eating sweets.

Once again, this year, more than ever before, I hope the essence of the festival and the spirit of Diwali stays above everything else, instead of extravagant display of lavishness, and unnecessary show off of how fortunate we have been until now.

This year, this Diwali is falling during a pandemic. And let us all keep this fact in mind while we celebrate the biggest festival of Hindus. The increasing number of people, keeping the safety guidelines of social distancing and mask aside, geared up to celebrate Diwali is disturbingly worrying.

This year has been tough for everyone. If you are still safe from covid19, congratulations. Your hard work of nine months shouldn’t go waste. Please stay indoors. Celebrate the festival with closest ones taking every precaution.

If you were covid19 affected or had someone infected, please know that you are still prone to getting infected again, you are prone for long term mental and physical sequelae even if you had mild or moderate illness. Please stay indoors.

A lot of people lost lives. A lot means a number counting in lacs. A lot lost their means of livelihood. Small businesses faced a setback. Yes, it is important to revive economy. But in an attempt to revive economy, we cannot open the doors to death/or illness blindly. Do everything you want to do in this festival but keep in mind the safety measures. Never let your guards down.

Diwali festivities started yesterday.

This year, it is going to be a simple Diwali for me. In solidarity with doctors on duty even on Diwali day, friends who lost their lives, friends who lost someone from their family, people still in quarantine, people who are covid 19 positive and admitted in hospitals, we are not making it a grand affair this year, as we do it every year.

For my family, we are celebrating a quiet Diwali this year – with no gifts, no new clothes, no decorations, and no parties. It will only be prayers offered to the Goddess Lakshmi, home-made sweets for kids, and lighting local-potters-made clay diyas. The spirit of celebration is inside our hearts, and can never be dampened by adversity. A wide smile and gratitude towards God for keeping us safe stays above every gratification.

I won’t say that everyone should do the same. It is a case of ‘each-to-his/her-own’ – Celebrate it in your own best way that makes you happy, but  I do have a request – Please keep it as safe as possible.

– The lesser the contact with each other, the safer you are.
– The mask is the vaccine for now. Never let it slip down. It has to cover the mouth and nose, both. Don’t ease it away when you talk.
– Keep washing hands for a sufficient time after you return from outside.
– Use sanitizers when you go out to shop.

Masks and Social distancing stay the mantra for avoiding covid19 wherever you are. I hope you will remember that Covid19 is VERY MUCH here.

My heartiest wishes for you and your families. May this Diwali be safe, happy, healthy, and may God bless us all, restores every smile, and takes away coronavirus as soon as possible. It has overstayed its journey.
These are my only prayers this year.

Stay safe.

God bless you all!!! Love you so muchhhh 💖💖💖

 

 

{ All updates after Diwali ie 17th November}

39 thoughts on “The Essence of Diwali ✨”

  1. Sorry I’m late..,
    Happy Diwali…may this Diwali bring lot of happiness and love in ur life..stay blessed ❤❤😘😘😘

  5. May the festival of joy become more beautiful for u and ur family & All your new ventures get success and progress , Happy Diwali Diiii.

  6. Happy Diwali 🥰🥰may god bless you with only happiness and prosperity..❤ you will always be in prayers❤❤
    Stay safe..and enjoy the festival🤗

    1. You are in my prayers too!! All my readers and people who connect with me are an important part of my life and journey… love you and wishes for you and your family 💖💖🤗🤗 Happy Diwali 🎊🎉💐💖🤗

    1. Haha! Sorry!! I do tend to get granny-ish reminding people of do’s and don’ts😅… I guess I need to ease out more 😀😀
      Anyway, thanks for wishes. Happy Diwali to you and your family 🎊🎉💐🍫

  16. Veryyyyy happyyy diwali to you too dii!!!!
    Stay safe stay happy!!!!
    May this Diwali brings to you a lot of joy, happiness and prosperity…😌😌😌😌

      1. Happie Diwali, di!!!!😍❤ May God shower love, health and happiness for all of us. Love you too….. And can’t wait for the updates!

  19. Happy diwali to you all celebrating, I know this year will be completely different to last years diwali but I hope you are able to enjoy safely!
    🥳🥳🥳🥳
    Can’t wait for the updates after diwali, wish you love and luck and I can’t wait for things to go back to normality so I can actually be here
    Love you Manita
    ,😘

Comments are closed.

Protected by Copyscape Web Plagiarism Software
error: Content is protected !!
%d bloggers like this: