The festival of tricks and lights

Raj lights lamps in all corners of his house with hymns playing in the background. 

He is celebrating Diwali the festival of light that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance.

Just then the bell rings, he opens the door to a bunch of kids dressed in spooky costumes and shouting, "Trick or Treat."

He smiles, grabs his bucket full of treats and shouts "Treat...Treat!" As if surrendering to their threat in a sweet way!

Shuts the door, and continues with his prayers of the Hindu festival that comes around the same time as Halloween. 



=========

In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about a festival of lights.

Death, Heritage and Generations to come....

October has been a month of many emotions. It started off with a shock that was followed by a rewind of all those years with my dad's sister, then coming to terms with it, and being able to say my goodbye to her.

It was also a month of anniversaries where my dad and granddad passed away.

Besides the sorrow, the disturbance and the tears, it was also the month of Diwali, which is a festival of lights as each individual tries to light up the diya/lamp in places where there is darkness, gloom, ignorance, and obscurity.


No doubt there were mixed feelings at first when this festival arrived. Since early weeks made me see death and now this celebration...very confused!

But then I pondered over the meaning of this festival...it's the lighting of the lamps not only in and around the house but also within to remove darkness, gloom, ignorance, and obscurity. This light actually makes man ponder within and help change their perspective especially since negativity always looms stronger than positive thoughts.

Since when it comes to death, we are no doubt somber by the loss of a loved one, but honestly science has proven that ever since a baby is born he/she is decaying each day! Thus, death is a natural process. No doubt as humans we get attached to that person and want her/him around us, but the law of nature is that we are mortal so got to chin up.  I think we should be happy for that individual especially if she/he has done all her duties on this planet.

Duties?
Huh?

According to the famous rhyme by James Orchard Halliwell and published in 1842 with the lyrics:

Solomon Grundy,

Born on a Monday,

Christened on Tuesday,

Married on Wednesday,

Took ill on Thursday,

Grew worse on Friday,

Died on Saturday,

Buried on Sunday,

That was the end,

Of Solomon Grundy.

That would be a waste of life! Where nothing was accomplished.

But a person who was a conscientious being, and brought up her children in a healthy environment, and made sure they made life too of themselves. That would be a person who would be remembered, appreciated since her legacy will be carried forward via incidents or stories that involved her to generations to come!

As we usher the month of November towards Thanksgiving week which will make me fill up with gratitude towards my ancestors and my elders who gave me love, affection and guided me in times of distress and adversity.

 I shall honor this post to my dad's sister (my aunt) who was a kind soul and always had the self-respect within to keep rowing her boat no matter what! In spite of the pain that those nasty overgrown cells within her body were causing her, she did not give up on herself, and that's what is commendable! I pray her soul rests in peace.

Mantra for today: “The songs of our ancestors are also the songs of our children.” 
― Philip Carr-Gomm

------

Wordless Wednesday #107

We have been getting showers, and the result is not only relief to the soil and the souls, but we have seen lot of rainbows too!

Whenever I notice one, I always feel that a fairy has sprinkled some pixie dust, and voila!

With a New Year around the corner, may we all embrace these colors in our lives, and eliminate the darkness, the negativity by transforming for the better!

Mantra for today: Benevolence can only be followed if there is appreciation within. 



--------

Diwali and Halloween

Raj lights lamps in all corners of his house  with hymns playing in the background. He is celebrating Diwali the festival of light that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance.

Just then the bell rings, he opens the door to a bunch of kids dressed in spooky costumes and shouting, "Trick or Treat."

He smiles, grabs his bucket full of treats and shouts "Treat...Treat!" As if surrendering to their threat in a sweet way!

Shuts the door, and continues with his prayers of the Hindu festival that comes around the same time as Halloween. 

--------
In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that pairs something seasonal with something odd. 
Linking with CarrotRanch. Join in the fun!

My Kind of Diwali Celebration

"Try this outfit. It will suit you" urged mom.

"Nah! its too dull. I am too young to be wearing such boring colors." I protested.

"Just try it. We are not buying," mom added with a slightly higher pitch.

http://webneel.com/daily/sites/default/files/images/daily/09-2013/14-diwali-greeting-card.jpg

I go in the trial room whilst blowing the bangs on my forehead, and come out with a broad smile and a jubilant cheer, "I love it!"

Mom rolls her eyes as it trying to say, "Told ya!" but restraining the words more so cause that will start another round of arguments with a teen daughter, and she already had quite a few things on her plate this evening.

With the ring of the register, payment is done, and sale is final.

I wait up for my younger brother to decide on a shirt as I try to chip in my expert comments from the sidelines with a stare from my mom now and then to stop it.

Shopping is done!

Next stop, buying fresh flowers, and all the items needed for a puja.

http://www.abhyasika.com/10/10SandT/Chapter02/Fig0205M.jpg

We finally reach home, and it is late in the evening. Dad is already home, and after showing him our purchases, we are quick to gobble all the food laid out on the table. Shopping  makes us hungry especially when the festival is around the corner, and yummy things are on the menu.

Next day came pretty early more so since that is the day all the shopping was all about.

Yes, it is Diwali. According to a teen, it is the festival of lights, fun, sweets and socializing, and a new attire.

Dressed up, and soon we were driving to my dad's office where my extended family would also meet up for the puja. This is called the Laxmi puja where the family prays for wealth, and prosperity, and what better place to worship for it than the location where work is conducted.

Puja was usually for adults while we kids played, mimicked on my dad's typewriters and calculators as if bringing in the dough.

Once the prayers were finished, food would be ordered from the nearby restaurants, and yes the kids could request anything they wanted.

We all used to hog, and try out everything in their menu. The vanilla milkshakes with ice-cream was my favorite, and I used to order it every time besides the new delicacies.

By the time, we would disperse from my dad's offices; it would be early evening, and then driving home for another prayer session while myself and my sibling lighting the diyas around the house. That was followed by bursting crackers since dinner was usually avoided after consuming so many extra calories.

~~~~

I grew up with this scenario year after year.

Till date, I miss Diwali celebration since it involved my family, and it was a package deal with all the ingredients of a good celebration of any festival.

Was it the new clothes, the visit to my dad's office, the mimicking in his workplace, the order anything from the menu thing, the laughs and the giggles with all my cousins?

Could not yet figure out what enchanted me.

But on the day of Diwali, the above tradition is rewinded in my mind as I sit miles away from home, and it always gives me happiness to celebrate #GharWaliDiwali

Mantra for today: Some rituals that are repeated year after year can never become boring if they bring a smile.

~~

This post has been written as a part of Indi Happy Hours'#GharWaliDiwali in association with PepsiCo and IndiBlogger.
~~~

Challenges for this month!

Thanks to my blogging buddies that I got introduced to Nanowriteup month. It is a novel to be written in the month of November, and it should be a minimum of 50,000 words.


Writing a novel makes a writer search within himself and churn out all the creativity. A writer also gets an opportunity to bring out all sorts of incidents that he has faced or feared in his lifetime and bring them out in the form of some character.

Since I am writing about mixed cultures, which is so remarkable about the United States that I have to look back into their history and their names to figure out outline of the character's personality. This takes time for me since I am researching and writing and trying to maintain a steady balance between my household and my kid's classes etc.

I also got myself enrolled in my Master's program for Reiki. I have been practicing Reiki for over 3 years now, and I get a chance to enroll myself for this program. This is something I had always been looking out for. Did not think twice about the overload it may cause esp with 50,000 words that had to come with a distinct flow and as my friend Terrye says that words gotta flow as smooth as a wine.

So, I am unto the challenge with NanowriMo, My Master's Reiki program and a Diwali festival coming up during this month.

Sometimes, I wonder how will I attain it. But, I feel if I stay focused on one day at a time...things will happen.

Mantra for today: Plan each day and it will take you  closer to your goal.