𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐊𝐑𝐄

16.Diwali I

It was Diwali morning, and the air was filled with the crisp freshness of dawn, tinged with the sweet scent of flowers and incense. The sky glowed with the soft hues of sunrise, as lanterns and diyas from the night before still flickered faintly, a reminder of the celebrations. The streets, quiet at first, slowly began to come alive with the bustle of preparations. The group, with excitement in their eyes, found themselves standing in front of the Siddhivinayak temple. Its walls, adorned with garlands and lights, stood in radiant silence, welcoming the day of light and new beginnings.

The Siddhivinayak temple, located in Mumbai, is a revered temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Known for its peaceful atmosphere, the temple features a golden dome and a black stone idol of Ganesha, surrounded by devotees seeking blessings on the auspicious day of Diwali.

The group found themselves in the long queue of devotees, the line stretching as far as the eyes could see. The air was filled with the sound of prayers and occasional tinkling of bells. The group eagerly waited for their turn to seek blessings from Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and the harbinger of success and prosperity.

As they stood in line for what felt like hours, Ruhi groaned, "We came so early, still the line seems never-ending!"

Nods and groans of agreement erupted through the group. Siddharth, slightly frustrated, said, "I was telling you guys to come some other day! But no one listens to me!"

Raj, who seemed calmer than the others, said, "Some other day won't be Diwali. And what's wrong with you guys? Don't you have patience?"

Siddharth rolled his eyes, already irritated by Raj's mere presence. Ruhi, noticing the eye roll, smirked, "Yeah, you are right! We should be patient!"

Siddharth threw a glare at Ruhi but decided not to respond. Rishi sighed, "If I knew it would take so long, I would have eaten something!"

Isha, who seemed to care the least about the wait, said, "Why are you guys like this? Bhagwan ka naam lete raho aur aage badhte raho!". She suddenly shouted, "BOLO GANPATI BAPPA," to which, the whole line of devotees roared, "MAURYA!"

And just like that, the mood shifted. The ones getting bored suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for the darshan. The line continued to move ahead, chanting God's name.

Once finally in, they sighed in relief. The number of devotees was still too much, but being finally inside felt too good, it felt peaceful. The group slowly pushing through the crowd, finally stood in front of the divine Idol of Lord Ganesha. Due to the rush, the group got just a few seconds to pray, before they were pushed ahead by the crowd.

Even in the fraction of seconds, they managed to seek blessings and wish whatever they wanted to. Ruhi found herself praying for a successful personal and professional life. A simple wish that everyone asks for. Siddharth found himself asking for a similar wish, to become a successful businessman. Aditi asked for family time and obviously, Naman. She wished for Naman to finally be his partner, while Naman asked God for some confidence to admit his feelings. Radhika prayed for her and her people's well-being and Rishi found himself thanking God for the great friends he had, who never made him feel lonely.