HAPPY DEEPAVALI

Deepavali, the festival of lights . Every one would have seen its beauty and splendour in many forms and some like my son would prefer to keep away from the sound and noice created by it for his own justifyable reasons.BUt the purpose of this post is to establish an instant contact with every one reading this blog, however distant they are (I meant not only distance of places but also distanced hearts), and to make use of the festival,,an alibi!, to wish them good luck and happiness in all endeavours that they are presently in and those that they are going to embark on in days to come/ for rest of their life.

Deepavali has many symbolic messages,Hindus , atleast those in southern INdia , consider it as a victory of Goddess (God took the form of Mohini, the eternal beauty)to avenge on NARAGASWARAN.At the request of Naragarawaran, the god gave the last boon to the dying soul, that his death will not be an occasion for any one to shed tears, but it would be a moment for every one to celebrate and rejoice,for his death symbolically represents the victory of GOOD over EVIL forces.

AND HERE COMES THE WORTHY LESSON. Day in and day out we suffer, we fight, we are challenged,we are overcome and exhausted by evil forces in many ways. Corruption,falling ethics, deterioration in values, dis regard to elders and superiors and so on and so forth. Despite all these odds and the limitations in which we function(the famous author NA PARTHASAEATHY, IN HIS FAMOUS NOVEL PON VILANGU draws a beautiful reference to this state of affairs when he uses the word "SOOZH NILAYIN KAITHI..TRANSLATED AS "PRISONER OF CIRCUMSTANCES"S) at the end of the day when we retire to bed, if wec ould recall the way in which we have spent the day, we will recall how many odds have been overcome and how subtly and how deftly we have conqured many evils (internal and external) at the same time. Thus every day in fact is worth celbrating as Deepavali by those who have steadfastly stood by their goals/karma and did every thing to attain it. AGAIN i did not mean the effect of it, i mean the efforts towards it.AND THAT IS ENOUGH!!

Coming back to the festival perse, it is also called the festival of lights. In fact down south there is a seperate festival of lights, called Karthigai deepam. The famous temple in South called Thiruvannamalai,(Malai neans HILL) willbe the centre of attraction on this day when the HOLY LIGHT willbe spotted on the top of hills when all houses and all temples simultaneously will be litting lights .The whole town will suddenly becomw acity of lights and perhaps the diwinity and unity seen in that moment is GOD himself.

Deepavali is associated in my earlier times(or as per my eraliest memories) with purchase of new clothes, firing of crackers, eating of sweets and more particularly exchanging pleasantries with neighbours, friends and relatives. With communication becoming an explosive force in the currrent century, and with every house hold having atleast as many cell phones as the number of persons in the house..Note..I am yet to possess one:)the visits to homes and to exchange pleasantries have almost stopped.With DIABETES, the silent monster entering every house hold, sweet consumption has also halved. Still the wonder remains as to how so many sweet shops (chain stores at that) are making a merry kill during these festive seasons!!Waht still remains is the arrival o9f rains (almost always around deepavali), slippery streets, the deafening noice of crakers, and the smog created by the fire, smoke and the glloomy sky atleast as far as Chennai is concerned.

My child hood charm of deepavali is identified with new clothes. In those days there was only one occasion(deepavali) when you are assured of atleast a new shirt, if not pants. NEXT CHARM is the visit to elder's houses when you will get lot of things to eat.At home the carm lies with Steaming IDDLIES served with Milagai podi and nallennai. I remember consuming thru out the day , only iddlies, iddlies iddlies in that order.Still, to date, my weakness for the same have not subsided a bit!

Over a period of time, as would normally happen with the widening of knowledge horizon, it has dawned now that the festivals are meant to bring about an econonmic upheaval. Think of the number of shops that survive during these periods by wooing any one and every one with their products.But that is at a macro level At a micro level the festival is intended to bring about a bondage among the family, friends and relatives.With TVs coming to the centre hall of each home, even this bonding is threatened nowadays.

BUT THE BOND OF LOVE AND AFFECTION IS SO STRONG THAT IT WOULD SURVIVE ANY NUMBER OF THREATS.HERE AGAIN IT WOULD BE A SUCCESS OF THE GOOD OVER THE TEST AT THE END.

LET us therfore celebrate deepavali to bring to gether our love and affection and may the world in that process become a better place of peace and prosperity to live in.