Its Friday morning. I start to get the feel of the season as I start my day. My brother has woken me up at 6am. WHY? Because he has a "Cubicle Decoration Competition" in his office. He not only wants ideas from me but also wants me to help him with my dupattas and any other things that can help him win this competition. His bag is already full with artificial flowers, diyas, and other decorative articles. And there he goes stuffing away my dupattas royally into his already stuffed bag.
On my way to office, I see shops selling kandils, rangoli colors and crackers. The train is all filled with women draped in lovely sarees and jewelery. Young ladies are also clad in outfits carrying a tradional touch. Now this, I say, is the MOOD of the festival.
I reach office to find the entire office decorated with colorful lanterns - artificial ones of course!!! The centre of our 3-storeyed office building is adorned by a beautiful kandil overhead reminding everyone of the festival. HUGE is the word. I reached my desk admiring all of these only to find my mailbox flooded with season's greetings. Pictures of delicacies, sparkles sweets and lanterns are peeping out on me from the mail-viewer panel. I think "WOW".
As the day moves on, the festive mood also rouses. There's a Rangoli-making competition in the office. And did I mention about the Delicacies' Competition? And how can I forget about the Traditional Dress Competition. Here comes the sweets time - a big box of Cadbury Celebrations !!! I doubt if this will last till I reach home ??
I hear people around me - my colleagues - enthusiatically talking about the forthcoming week-end - an extended one !!! One of us hails from Bhopal, MP. Another from Aurangabad. Yet another from Jalgaon. Oh there's one from Ahmedabad as well. And all of them going to THEIR HOMETOWN to celebrate Diwali with their loved ones - their family and to welcome the New Year with zeal and enthusiasm.
As evening approaches, the entire office building glows. Or is it my imagination?? The office lawn is adorned with lights so beautiful and breath-taking. The trees on both side of foot-walk are also covered in glitter and spark. It is a vision that one can never forget in lifetime. Can it get more beautiful?
I am on my way back home. My cell-phone battery is down from giving everyone the season's greetings. I am eager to reach home to savour the delicacies prepared at home. The city has already started celebrating Diwali. I look at the sky and see that it is not much illuminated by the twinkling of the stars as it is by the sparks of crackers. I reach home to find my brother already there. He is happy. He has won the competition and I get all my dupattas back "as were". We enjoy the sweets and choclates. Since I am a strong advocate of a peaceful Diwali, I strongly appeal everyone to "TURN DOWN" the volume this Diwali. This appeal is made in all possible ways - mail, sms, taglines, status lines, scraps, posts......... I am tired but I am happy. The lights are still sparkling in my eyes. And with this spark, I am off to sleep.
HAPPY DIWALI - But dont forget to turn down the volume this diwali.
Be safe, be happy !!!
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