The Spirit of Diwali

As a little boy, I saw my mother make around 15-20 small gift packs and keep them ready on a table by the front-door to be distributed amongst the less privileged during Diwali time. Throughout Diwali week, men, women, and children trickled to the doorstep during the day.

The humble pack contained some groceries, clothes – old and new; warm clothes - for the first chill of winter has already set in, and some children books and pencils were piled up on the table. There were small little packs of homemade sweets, few shuili flowers (Coral Jasmine) from the shuili tree in our front yard and amidst all these, a small little mud baked lamp, we call ‘diya’.

We got a week’s vacation from school for Diwali and every morning my job was to tie a rubber-band on each pack of sweets and pile them on the table on the front door, place three shuili flowers on top of each and a diya beside it.

I would pace the terrace since morning, eagerly waiting for people to come in, and every time someone stopped by the doorstep, I would run down calling Ma to quickly come to the front door. She stood beside me making small talks with them and wishing them ‘Happy Diwali’ as I handed over the gift packs to them. It was so exciting, so fulfilling and made me so happy.

At that moment, I did not understand the reason of this unbound happiness, but I now know that it was the joy of giving!! It’s said that the joy of giving is the ultimate joy in the world, and that is the spirit of Diwali – to give. So, this Diwali, let’s find within ourselves the true spirit of the festival.

Let’s give.

Let’s give hope, happiness and a little of the sunshine we have received from the universe. And along with it, some warm clothes, and blankets – old and new, a book and some stationary and beside it, a small little diya, in which they can pour a drop of oil, a wick and spread the light.

Wishing one and all a very happy and prosperous Diwali!! May you give what you have and receive grace on this beautiful festival of light!!

Happy Diwali!!