Diwali Nostalgia….

Diwali is not just celebrations…its a time for nostalgia….

Mummy would start preparing the Diwali sweets almost 10 days ahead. She would prepare one item per day after coming home from her work. and we would enthusiatically gather around her and try to help her…in making the shankarpalis and murukkus…

On Diwali eve, i would make

When in Madurai[mummy’s native], Diwali meant loads of murukkus  and adhirasams. It was heralded with loud crackers at the dawn and then there was the ritual bath and the famous idli/vada/mutton curry for breakfast.

The year Ammu started going to playschool was the year she was truly excited about Diwali. She used to keep asking me …’mamma when is Diwali?’. I think the questions had started as early as Ugadi.

Its that time of the year…. time for new clothes, sweets…ummmm…love the homemade Diwali sweets,….lights/diyas, rangolis….a time to deck up …and revel… indulge…ahhhh

Diwali is a time for family get-togethers, bonding , nostalgia and generally having a good time with near and dear ones. It is not just celebrations…its more of  memories, especially childhood ones…the ones that everyone loves to think of ..to talk of..and to possibly relive those times with children and grandchildren.

Here are some of our favorite Diwali memories 🙂

• Mummy would start preparing the Diwali sweets almost 10 days ahead. She would prepare one item per day after coming home from her work. and we would enthusiatically gather around her and try to help her…in making the shankarpalis and murukkus…
• On Diwali eve, i would clean the small front yard and make traditional rangoli, filling it up with colour. This i would do before mummy reached home… i would make sure ours was the best amongst all the neighbours’ ;). Of course mummy would be happy…but then she would get apprehensive as well… ‘kannu pattidapodu‘…she would say..the protective mom that she was..
• We would distribute the Diwali sweets/khara to our friends and close neighbours and would get Diwali sweets from them in return…which added variety to the whole fare :)…did i say i love homemade goodies.. 😉 …….I’m drooling at the thought..
• When in Madurai[mummy’s native], Diwali meant loads of murukkus and adhirasams. It was heralded with loud crackers at the dawn and then there was the ritual bath and the famous idli/vada/mutton curry for breakfast.
• The year before I got married, we had a nice celebration. All of us got together with our neighbor aunty, who was a very sweet lady, and her family and collectively burst a lot of crackers; we had a great time that evening.
• For Ammu’s first Diwali, I got a pattu pavadai stitched for her. She looked gorgeous in that green and maroon outfit 🙂
• When Ammu was around 2 years of age, she used to be excited about the big stars during Diwali. She used to count all of them whenever we took her for walks 😀
• The year Ammu started going to playschool was the year she was truly excited about Diwali. She used to keep asking me …’mamma when is Diwali?’. I think the questions had started as early as Ugadi…and we had to tell her about all the festivals that were to come before Diwali. This was repeated on every festival/birthday that was celebrated that year 🙄

In more recent times, the celebrations were restricted to new clothes and few crackers. Ready sweetmeats were bought. I, in particular had lost the enthusiasm for festivals and elaborate celebrations…due to my personal and health problems.

This year though, the people around me have been successful in  enthusing me. It will be the first Diwali celebrations in  our new home…and I’m inspired to deck it up…thanks to all the talented people out there…blogging on Diwali decor! And I have decided to make shankarpalis, chevda and gulab jamoon. All this with a wish to give my kids the moments that they can think of and cherish… which I hope will be part of their Diwali nostalgia!

So..its cheers to Diwali, the festival of lights.

Wishing everyone has a great time and hoping that this Diwali will bring in more cheer and a whole lot of memorable moments to cherish!!

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