Diwali Aayi Re!

Every Diwali I blog about how much I love the festival of lights and how happy it makes me. This all stands true till date; I love Diwali! The lights, the mithai, the cheerfulness and joy, it all makes me feel incredibly delighted. For five days, I take on responsibility and become the official diya lighter in my house— a position my sister and I would fight for as kids. But you already know how much I love Deepavali so why on earth should I write about my love for this festival again? Bolo bolo! Acha choro. So this year, I’m displaying my love for Diwali in a totally different way by counting down my favorite Diwali songs! If you know me well, you know I love combining my love for Bollywood with anything and everything. Why should Diwali be left out then, no?

Growing up, one of the first Diwali songs I was introduced to, was from the film, Shirdi Sai Baba. Incidentally, my Father is a huge Baba Bhakt and thus, I grew up believing in Shirdi Baba too. Deepavali Manayi Suhani is by far one of the most beautiful songs depicting Diwali in all its glory through the eyes of Sai. While most modern Diwali songs are a bit more superficial, this one is more spiritual and deep. 

I don’t know why but somehow I associate most festivals with Govinda. So really, it’s not a surprise that one of the most popular Diwali songs has to feature the dancing actor himself. From the film Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya, we see the simplicity of Diwali from those who cannot celebrate with big pomp and glory.

This one you’ve probably not heard, but it’s really quite a cutie-patootie song. Sung by some of the more popular pop singers, Diwali Aayi Re, is a modern take on Diwali which involves special effects and the likes. This is Diwali in the future, just over four ago.

Going back in time, one of the most popular Diwali songs is actually from the 1959 film Paigham. Forget that the film stars Dilip Kumar. Forget that this song is picturized on the very awesome Johnny Walker. But for heaven’s sake please listen to it for one reason: Mohammed Rafi. This one puts you in a lovely time capsule and sends back to the fifties where films were magnetic and majestic. Diwali has never looked so retro and lovely!

I am a huge Mukesh fan. And an even bigger Raj Kapoor fan. So even when you put the two together and give me a rather sad Diwali song, I’m still gonna listen. Nazrana, I’m told is a beautiful film, but the song is simply beautiful.

My favorite Diwali song is the Happy Diwali number from Home Delivery. In fact, come Diwali day, this song plays on repeat in my house. You know how I talk about that giddy feeling I get when Diwali comes around? This song only furthers my happiness. I’m not sure what it is about this song but I smile and tear at the same time. It’s just such a feel good track!

On that happy note, here's wishing all of you a very Happy Prosperous Joyful and Loving Diwali! May Goddess Lakshmi shower you and yours with abundance always! 

Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali!

Diwali Mumblings

The festival of light - i.e. Roshni, could easily be my festival technically...right? Fat chance. This Diwali I missed my family and childhood more than ever. And wasn't the big things but the smaller things that I missed. My Aunts homemade mithai, fighting in the office over who would do what, lighting diyas outside our home door, running around on D-Day figuring out where we needed to be in time for a pooja or for an office cocktail. From childhood Diwali has always been a grand affair. Then I moved to America and it has never been the same. While sometimes I prefer the anonymity that Diwali heralds in the States, other times all I wish is to be back in my father's office gorging on cocktail samosas looking, eye at the door, waiting for an Uncle or Aunt to enter so we could attack them and watch them cough over a money filled envelope.

But Diwali brings with it a whole range of connotations that have disappeared into obsolete. Besides the usual Ram returning from exile, the underlying meaning that is associated with Diwali is simple: good over evil; light over darkness. And darkness comes in different forms. To a blind man, darkness is normal. That form of darkness can only be eliminated by a doctor. But to the ignorant, light is the truth.

When I have to look at how light has affected my own life, I think light in all forms has provided me with immense amounts of inspiration. It can be as simple as a star, the sun, my brightness in my Grandmothers eyes and even the twinkle in my cousin Sona's smile; all forms of motivation. But I also see in light in the good that other people do or in their successes which ultimately formed my webzine. Light is good in every form; there's no denying that.

What do I want for the New Year? Peace, happiness, success and the usual. But I also want guidance and direction in my life -- which I'm hoping Lord Ganesh will assist me with by demolishing all obstacles and Goddess Lakshmi will help in by providing me with the moolah to fulfill my dreams. And Pritish Nandy twittered the following for Diwali which summarizes life easily: "If you pursue Lakshmi, she runs away from you. But if you chase Saraswati,Lakshmi usually comes along." And I couldn't have said it better.

Happy Diwali!!