ExpertDabbler

My craving for crackers was at its peak when I was in my 4th and 5th standards. Like all kids, I was dreaming of a day when Dad would get me crackers for more than 100 Rs. That was the benchmark those days. Appa always said “Kaasai kariyakaadhey”. Later as i grew up i realized that advice was just to conceal the fact that we could not afford crackers for more than that amount.

I clearly remember a few occasions when we had to wait till Dad came home on Deepavali eve late in the evening, to get our new dresses. That was why I could relate so well to the scene in “Dhavamai Dhavamirundhu” where Rajkiran works till late in the night on Diwali eve to get a pair of dresses for his boys. That was not just a realistic scene, that’s real life. I’m sure there are thousands of fathers who still do that for every Diwali eve.

As years went, we grew in stature but inexplicably i lost interest in crackers. To the extent that my parents had to force me to burst one for the sake of Shasthram and Sambradhayam and whatever. That aversion towards crackers remain till this day
Having said that its still great entertainment to see small kids running around in their new dresses with a bunch of crackers in their hands and loads of excitement in their eyes. Ah! Seeing them is a refreshing experience indeed!

I tend to think that grown ups burst crackers just as a way of saying they are not that old after all
But this was also the occasion for meeting friends… If there’s anytime i miss Coimbatore, its got to be Diwali. I remember the days when we used to roam around all over the city in our bikes in new dresses, visiting each and every member of our gang and having a taste of their pakshanams. And then at last settling down in my friend’s place in T. V. Swamy Road till his parents came shouting “Dei, Mani 11 agudhu, naanga ellam thoonganum!!”. Those days there were no mobile phones and my dad would dutifully disturb their parents to enquire about me and scold me over phone to return home soon
For some reason that oor suthufying never happened in Chennai
Here my mom goes about receiving and distributing sweets. The real danger for me will start when she will thrust all of her “collections” from the neighborhood in my mouth later in the evening. More than the immediate effect, the consequences will be deadly the next day morning
Diwali also meant time for movies those days. We once had the gall to plan for Thalapathi in 1991 The idea was to go to the theatre very early in the morning so that we can watch Thalaivar first day first show and brag about it in school (most of my friends were Rajini Rasigans). I took out my cycle and went near Baba complex at about 7.30 in the morning and the Q was right upto Flower Market Bus Stop in Mettupalayam Road
Appuram enna Veetukku Poi “Sirappu Oliyum Oliyum” la “Raakamma Kayyathattu” song parthu Samadhaanam aanom

I think Thalapathi and Guna were released on the same day.

Later in the evening, by some stroke of luck, one of my friends got tickets for ‘Gunaa’ in KG Complex, Anupallavi. The show which was to start at 6 PM started at about 7 PM. I reached home at about 11 PM much to the chagrin of my dad.

The other movie i saw on Diwali day was Thevar Magan in the year 1992 i think.

All in all, Deepavali has always been an occasion for meeting our friends and loved ones and having a good time. That has remained intact till date across the country.
Even people who do not visit their families for a whole year choose to go home for Deepavali stands testimony to this. Try visitng the airports, the railway stations or the bus terminus on Diwali eve.

Even though its mostly long distance calls and Voice chats for me nowadays but its still heartening to see those conversations are not formality “Happy Diwali” calls but that which stretches for hours. Let’s hail the spirit of Deepavali!

Iniya Deepavali Nalvazhthukkal to you and your family!!!

This entry was posted on Friday, October 20th, 2006 at 11:49 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.