Of Happy Diwalis and other stories

OF DIwaLi

I look back in time and i see so many lanterns. Some firecrackers. Lot of laughter. Flurry of activity. A full house. A week of shopping. I see myself sitting outside on the stairs covered in colour. Mom making gulab jamuns. Hear the puja bells ringing in every house as the night begins to set in. I hear the ladi that never stops. The phone bell that never stops ringing. I remember that the door is never shut during puja. Lakshmi should'nt have to knock your door. The lanterns are left on all night. Long after the sounds have died into the stillness of the night. They still burn in the distance. Happy hearts and laughters have transformed into sweet dreams of the tired night. I dont have to look far back at all. As I stare out into the night, past the fading tea lights on my patio, I see the faraway skies lit with the colour of the festivities at home.
I try hard. Its almost perfect. I have made my tile rangolis with little makeshift diyas on them. The patio looks achingly beautiful with those christmas lights. All the lights are on. candles are lit. Mithai is set out.When I look at it all after I am done decorating, calling everyone at home wishing them, and humouring myself that its a wonderful day full of celebrations, a strange sense of loneliness sets in. Another heartwrenching Diwali.

Other StoRieS

Paintings in Space was the name of the evenings dance program. Inspired by an exhibition of paintings of the same name. To say that Malavika Sarukkai was outstanding would be understating. She breathes grace. The recital was in four parts. Each highlighting the beauty and omnipresence of Krishna, using nature as a metephor. What made the performance thoroughly enjoyable was the explanation for the american audience before each piece. They guided the audience through the meaning of the 4th century sanskrit verses as Malavika walked through the depictions slowly. Every one of the four was flawless in its sentiment and arrangement . If i had to pick an absolute favourite it would have to be the second part that told the tale of Krishna vanquishing the hooded snake in the river that east up all the cattle depicting Krishna as Hope. Especially when Krishna comes out of the river dancing on the head of the demon. So beautiful. A close second was the closing act. The Raas-Leela. Krishna is playing Pied Piper here :) !! All the women are drawn to him and the call of his music. They abandon all their cares and duties and follow his call into the woods where they come upon a clearing. There he is, the charmer. They dance in circles around him. They dance with him in a state of trance. They have surrendered themselves unto him. He displays his "All and One at once" form by dancing with each of the gopis and all of the them at the sam e time, while they dance in circles around him. That is the beauty of Krishna. Like one of the songs decribes: radha sees his form in the dark rainclouds. And he comes to her wearing a necklace of raindrops worn like pearls. He is Nature and his beauty and forms are Infinte.
Bharatanatyam is not a very fluid dance form. It has strict grammar and in its discipline lies its beauty. Malavika Sarukkai took it to new levels for me. She gave this dance form more beauty and meaning. The perfect beginning to a near perfect Diwali.