Kuchh Ankahi Baatein

Diwali

The arrival of autumn marked the month of October. The season brought along the festival of Diwali with itself. Diwali the festival could soften even the hardest of hearts, with a prominent of give & forgive. Every corner of Ahmadabad city was lit up with shimmering lights, dancing in the air. Streets were crowded till late night, as the list of purchasing going on, since it was the most awaited festival of the year.

Chachiji prepare a to-do list for Diwali. And Taiji keeps on adding her own items which she required at her home for Diwali. Girls were busy in-house cleaning and decoration... coloring diyas, making hand-made kandils, Rangoli, handmade sweets and so on....

Nanu also has so much work to finish before Diwali as he declares three days holiday for every employee in the factory with bonus. He keeps on checking the quantity of sweets they have to buy and the sweets they want to make at home by their ancestral halwai... who used to make it every year. For Sameer, all these things are new and excited as this is the first time he is at home during this festival. Generally, he stays back at hostel or sometimes at Delhi where he was never be allowed to participate in any preparation... considering him as an outsider.

Nanu: Aaj itane saalon baad lag raha hai ki is ghar mein bhi Diwali hai.. varna toh bus akele Pooja karta tha aur Ramdhari thode diye laga deta tha... teri Nani ke baad toh tyohaar manana chhut hi gaya tha...

Sameer replied easing his foul mood, "Nanu koi baat nahin... iss baar mein hun na aapke saath... hum milkar Diwali manayenge aur khoob masti bhi karnenege... aur ab se har saal voh sab kuchh karenge jo Naani karti thi"

Nanu replied smilingly, "yeh baat toh tu ne theek kahi... par mujhe toh intzaar hoga us din ka jab teri dulhan iss ghar mein Diwali ki taiyari karegi... apane haathon se mithai banayegi, bhagwaan ka prasad, mandir sajana, Rangoli banana, diya lagana... uss din hogi iss ghar mein asli Diwali ki dhoom... poora ghar uski raunak se chamak jayega"

Sameer shyly laughed and said, "Nanu aap bhi na kitne aage ke sapne dekhne lage ho... vaise jab tak aapka sapna poora na ho, tab tak mujhse hi kaam chala lijiye..."

(he smiled thinking in his mind) : intzaar toh mujhe bhi hai jab voh iss ghar mein aayegi aur isse khushiyon se bhar degi... par beta... manzil abhi duuuuuur hai...

Diwali morning.. Sameer came back from morning workout and Nanu was waiting for him...

Nanu: Sameer tu aa gaya jogging se.. chal achchha hua, jaldi se taiyar hokar aaja

Sameer: Good morning Nanu.. but itani subah taiyar hokar jaana kahaan hai.. aaj to chhutti bhi hai aapki kyunki Diwali ke din factory bandh hoti hai na

Nanu patted on his shoulder, "barkhurdar, aaj chhutti hi nahin, Diwali bhi hai, aur hum Mandir ja rahe hai darshan ke liye"

Sameer: Mandir? Par Nanu mein toh Mandir nahin jaata... mujhe toh yaad bhi nahin ki pichhali baar mein mandir kab gaya tha"

Nanu, "arey isiliye toh kah raha hun, chal mere saath.. bhagwan se aashirwaad bhi le lena"

Sameer, "par mere liye toh aapka aashirwaad hi bahut hai... mujhe aur kuchh nahin chahiye kisi se bhi"

Nanu got emotional and hug him, "beta par mere saath toh chal sakta hai na... kya pata aaj tujhe bhi kuchh special prasad mil jaaye..." he said hiding his pain knowing how much Sameer has missed in his life... Vishakha has never shown any interest and well-being for him

Sameer agreed seeing his eagerness, "okay Nanu, aap ke liye toh kuchh bhi.. mein abhi taiyar hokar aaya.."

On the other side, Naina comes to temple scolding herself for being late, "Uff late ho gayi aaj toh... aur banaao prasad apane haathon se.. Chachiji kah bhi rahi thi ki mandir se prasad kharid lena par nahin tujhe toh har baat mein kuchh alag karna hota hai na.. chal bhaag nahin toh aarti khatam ho jayegi....."