As a Bengali immersed in the fervor of Durga Puja, my cultural celebrations were a tapestry woven with emotions, beginning months before the grand festivities. From the vitality of Laxmi Puja to the revered Kalipuja and Vaiphota, each passing festival seemed to carry away a fragment of joy, leaving us yearning for its return the following year. However, my recent experience in the Kabirdham District of Chhattisgarh unfolded an entirely new chapter in my understanding of festivals, particularly Diwali.
I set out on a journey through various villages with Mr. Surendra Sonkar, an enthusiastic member of the Chhattisgarh Agricon Samiti (CAS). What awaited me was a plethora of heart-warming encounters with the villagers, children, elders, and diligent farmers. Yet, amidst these interactions, a subtle transformation was brewing, unnoticed until one day in early November.
The familiar paths I traversed daily suddenly bloomed with vibrancy. Houses, roads, narrow lanes, and even village markets and shops had undergone a remarkable metamorphosis, adorned with colors that breathed life into the surroundings. My bewilderment prompted an inquiry to the CAS staff, who seemed taken aback by my obliviousness. Their response echoed a simple yet profound truth: “Arre aap ko nahi pata?” (Don’t you know? It’s Diwali!) It was then that the entirety of the emotional journey unfolded before me, marking a natural inclination towards the essence of festivals.
Experiencing Diwali as an outsider was a captivating revelation. The poorest among them, during the entire week of Diwali, orchestrated a symphony of happiness. Engulfed in household chores, they strived to transform their modest abodes into havens of warmth and love. A tattered, thatched roof yearned to be adorned with the love and care of its inhabitants. Firecrackers took a backseat as a humble diya (lamp) wielded the power to illuminate their entire existence. This observation illuminated a profound truth: celebrations are not always about lavish spending. Rather, they are an emotion that engulfs the entirety of one’s context, a mindset that transforms the mundane into a celebration in itself.
Diwali taught me that the essence of celebration transcends monetary wealth or social status. It resides in the purity of emotions, in the simple acts of love, and in the transformation of ordinary moments into cherished memories. It requires only a fresh perspective and an open heart to partake in the grandeur of life’s celebrations.
So, as I bid adieu to the festivities, I carry with me not just the memories of colors and lights but a deeper understanding that the richest celebrations are those that thrive within the hearts of people, unaffected by material wealth. This Diwali, let us embrace the essence of celebration, not just in grandeur but in the subtle nuances of life, where every moment becomes a reason to rejoice and every heart becomes a home to light up. Let the light within us illuminate the world around us, making every day a celebration of life itself.
