Stressful Diwali

Diwali is over. We say Happy Diwali just for a formality. It is not going to be a Happy Diwali for everybody. What would be a Diwali for beggars or blind people who cannot see the light of the universe? You can see people (milkman, postman, sweeper) at your service will be suddenly turn nice towards you even if they will be nasty at other times. The reason—Baksheesh or what else? Gas cylinderwaalas would ask for baksheesh even after two months. You have to please them as you perform pujas to please Goddess Mahalakshmi. If you are reluctant to give anything, be ready to take gaaliyan. Diwala follows Diwali.

Every year I have to celebrate a tension-filled Diwali. Some problems would coincide to make it worse. See, how a rodent came in between us to spoil my diwali this year. I have grown a medicinal plant separately on the window-sill. My husband takes care of other plants. Two days before Diwali I found the plant’s one of the stem cut off. It was healthy with full of green leaves. I got annoyed and asked my husband about it. He behaved as if he was not even aware of it. That irked me even more. I claimed that only he would do it since there was nobody at home. I have reason to suspect him because the stem was missing without leaving a leaf behind and he would do something to irritate me often. He got angry and started fighting with me and went sulky for a day. The matter did not finish there. Next day in the morning we fought over it again. By the morning he was calmed down and said quietly that he had not done it. Yet I couldn’t trust him. I told him to say it before God to know whether it is a lie. He said it again calmly that he had not done it. Then we checked the plant together. The plant was found almost destroyed and the soil dug out. Soon I realized the culprit is rat. Who would think a rodent can do such a clueless theft? Rats were not a menace to me till then. I was not aware the rats eat such plants. It might have chewed on the plant when it didn’t get anything to eat, or does it need medicine for some ailment? I felt guilty of accusing my husband for no reason and apologized.

Last year also we fought on the day of amavaasya then the next day I saw a raw of light in my life in the morning and Goddess Mahalakshmi entered in to our home when I got a silver coin as a gift. Since this happens every year I have to believe in superstition. According to the lunar dates Hindu festivals have been celebrating. Most festivals fall on Amavaasya or Poornima or close to the days of it. Hence, festivals could be troublesome. I have noticed even animals and birds fight on those days. October is the worst month for my husband and the dark phase is not favourable for me too. That’s why we have fight on those days. And my relatives are not in a good mood this year. Only God knows whether it will be a Happy or stressful Diwali next year.