For a while now, I have been intrigued by this ray of light, the great indian festial of lights called diwali. Last few years, living a student life, diwali had been basically a freak out evening with all the friends on campus and nothing special, The transitions in the weather and the arrival of the cold always signaedl unique feelings, that reminded us of special times at home. My last two diwali I was on a ride and so never really noticed when it came and went by, But this diwali I have to give it to the festive season, even I am feeling the ray of light. Bieng home after many a years on a festival does makes up for a good change, but rite now, i m looking forward for the four days after the Diwali going back on the road in my 'Night Crawler'.
The earliest memory of spending a Diwali I have is of the gathering of our whole joint family together and bursting cracker one by one, each of the kid gettings its turn, and the honours for the fancy crackers bieng reserved for the elders. Later on we graduated to bursting characters all by own, and spending the whole Diwali night, Staying awake with a whole bunch of nieghbourhood kids, blowing off doors and mail boxes of the people with 'Sutli' bombs. Of my college days, the only diwali which was special was in my first year in Hyderabad, infact it was the last diwali I actually ever celebrated. Why special, cause well i was able to clear the air with Nishant after a long tiff. Last twoD iwalis were on the Road, 2003 I was on my ride to Yellagiri Hills, and celebrating it with Mad Bulls and RTMC guys. Still remember bursting the crackers on the hill top in yellagiri, and last Diwali I was in Tadoba with G.R., Amber & Anand, celebrating it with tiger tales and tribal food.
Those memories are strong, and binds me to a time and place that does not exist anymore, and yet one which is much more real in a way than the present.
