The lights near and far !

Diwali always reminds me of Benaras , because I used to spend all my early Diwalis there. I was used to theDhanteras culture long before is became a rage in Kolkata for the people to buy gold ! the D-day meant going to the market with Didi and buying steel utensils for the kitchen. And buying a shopping bag full of baji and diyas for rupees 10 ! That was my Diwali high! I never really liked the noisy ones but our house helper at Benaras AmarSingh used to revel in them.The kali pataka would go into the jam tin to make the most

ear -splitting noise. I remember burning a hole in Dada's dressing gown cos i tried to run away with a phuljhuri in my hand !

And I loved decorating my grand-parents bunglow with diyas and candles and enjoying that nip in the air !

I remember Kaku once taking me to Mallick bari in Kolkata and we were treated to some amazing home made Tubris !

Over the years I have traveled through states from Gujarat to Delhi to Kochi during Diwali ...but I still remain sentimental about Benaras. Diwali at Mainak is more of a Chibu thing ! His repertoire of anecdotes are endless - from bursting tube lights to being lifted by cops for bursting the chocolate bombs. Every year there after Bhaskar keeps telling him, "I will not bail you out this time!" but for a different reason ! Last time when the cops picked up Chibu, Bhaskar had to abandon his "jua" with the ladies ( very reluctantly..he would rather have his son in jail!) to bail Chibu out ! Like Anjana told me later " Baap juari ! beta farari..kya family hai !"

And amid the lights and sounds I missed ma last evening ..she loved to see the lights and the starbursts in the sky !
And Diwali reminded me of those big yellow "rangta-mora'' laddoos in a golden colored box that came from the house of Haralalka's for my Dadu - who was a physician ! And thakuma always saved one for me so that I can have it after our sojourn at Benaras ! Today at Gangotri's just could not resist buying one at 75 rupees a piece - damn the price and damn the tri-glycerite !

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A holiday with self :)

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