Things I miss from India #4

4. Festivals and Colours:

Of all things that comes to mind, when you say that you are an Indian, to people here, I could not believe that they say "Oh, So much Sun, beautiful colors, and ofcourse sooo many people". I can agree the first and last as being their reasons for an awe, but colors? Huh? 

And then it stuck me. Ofcourse, why wouldn't they love India for its colors?
With colors, I am reminded of all the Festival days back in India. The shopping spree begins well before two or three weeks of the actual Festival. And the shopping list for girls is simply endless. Sarees, Lehengaas, Chudis, Kurtis, Frocks, Hair Accesories, Bangles, Bindis, Jewellery, Anklets, Shoes, Face packs, Makeup items - oh and lots more! And then there's crackers, Holi powders, Christmas trees, Discounts, Decoration items and Ramzan Briyaanis! Each one creating so much anxiety. There's almost always family get-togethers, fun and gossip-talks in every home. Not to forget the decorated markets, two-wheelers blocking the entire road (returning or heading towards shopping : you can see which way they are going from the kids/guy's expressions - lol) the preparations and people walking on streets with wide smiles, new dresses and a packet of sweets in hands - How wonderful it is to even think of all this.. Know what? Holi has become an increasingly popular festival here in Germany - Think people enjoy it more as a Farbe festival, rather than its actual reason - Nah ya.. No wonder they celebrate it in bizarre months of year! 

Hmm.. Last Diwali was our first Diwali after wedding. Usually in my place, its a big occasion for the newly-weds. We would go to the girl's place where her family greets and welcomes their jomai with pomp and ceremony - returning them home with loads of gifts and sweets. Luckily for us, last year on Diwali - we had a Diwali celebration with loads of friends wishing us and making us the 'stars of the day' - It indeed felt good - atleast we were not sitting home, staring at the walls - lol. This year too, we celebrated Diwali but as a huge success with 250+ people in my small city. Yet during the firework show I couldn't help but look into the sky and think, May these Fireworks shooting up be the same ones that sparkle up in my home - with dad, sis, mom, cousins and in-laws looking up the sky - just like I do now too! Sometimes dad, sis, mom and me used to go to the terrace to watch 'extra-terrestrial events' - lol yea, that's how dad calls them : Like Mars crossing the Earth's orbit or shooting stars' visibility or three planets in a line today etc - Looking at those stars makes me think of those times too, with dad talking all geographical facts and we listening with awe <blinks a tear off the eye>.

And oh I totally forgot - the day off you get officially. Nothing can be depressing that going to office just like the rest of the days, when in another part of the World in India - there's celebrations everywhere! No matter how many get-together you attend on your favorite Festive days, there is absolutely no way you can have the same fun and feel as you did in India! Celebrating Diwali and Pongal on the same weekend since it fell on a weekday just never feels the same.