It is that time of the year again! Diwali -- pardon the cliché, is the ‘the festival of lights’, indeed. And the light emanates not just from the earthen lamps, lanterns and luminous decorations, but from the hearts of patrons who value this beautiful tradition of celebration. Over the past few decades, Diwali has seen many changes, in celebration and in sentiment, but it has not ceased to be the grand occasion that it is. Diwali is a big deal for most Indians and elaborate preparations for it are a given. To name the many, many chores that are to be accomplished within a stipulated time before the festival is as exhausting as the chores. The cleaning, the cooking, the shopping, the decorating...it is a tall order. And while people until one-two generations before us managed to handle the ‘stress’ perfectly well, now, people are getting weary of all the effort that goes into a Diwali celebration. Lately, one has been hearing so many complaints about the run-up to the big day, about how the festival means more work and slogging and less of enjoyment. The women, in particular, seem to get overburdened during this period.

 

Today’s women are already managing two things — handling a career and being a home-maker, the latter being non-negotiable. The overall family life has also become more demanding with managing children’s schedule being another elaborate entity in the list of responsibilities. And then comes Diwali, and people gasp, for, it comes with a long list of nitti-gritties. But really, should a festival as beautiful, one that fills our heart with glittering memories of the childhood and youth, allowed to succumb under our disdain for work stress? You know something has gone awry when people start celebrating festivals as an annual, unavoidable tradition. No matter what, the emotional connect with these occasions should not be done away with.

 

Tell your children why do we light diyas on Diwali, tell them the ‘logic’ behind waking up and having a bath before sunrise on Narak Chaturdashi, tell them what is Vasu Baras and also that Dhanteras is not just about buying ‘dhan’ but is dedicated to Lord Dhanwantari, the God of Good Health. These may be strong beliefs for some and fables for others, but the stories and anecdotes help in keeping the ecosystem of Diwali celebration alive, and also in passing it on to the future generations. Try unboxing Diwali with a happy heart and you will find that things atypical to this period hit different. The faral, traditional clothes, torans, diyas and the lights and the get-togethers, to name a few. Do not give up on such a wholesome celebration just because of the labour it entails. Value it and then also add value to it. n