Celebrating Festivals away from home town

Most people of my age would have distinct memories of celebrating festivals in their childhood while they were in their hometown .It was always fun, and had its own region based peculiarities associated with them. For eg in Indore, Rangpachmi is celebrated with greater vigor as compared to Holi. If an outsider is not aware of this fact and comes to Indore on a Rangpachmi, he is due for a surprise.

But while opportunities drove many Indians out of India, it has also placed many of us outside our hometowns. We start living in our nuclear families, away from the regular interference of social functions. We are surrounded by many a souls who share this common background. Over the period, those who have settled abroad have built their own community of friends and also relatives and celebrate some of the Indian festivals. At times, this enthusiasm is much beyond that displayed by the Indians who are settled in India but outside their native place.

I was witness to the festival celebrations while I was in Kuwait at the time of Diwali last year. I was in an area which had a large Indian community. The government in Kuwait allows for bursting of crackers only on Diwali day till 10 PM. There are some limits on the sound level of crackers as well. What comes as a delight is that people do not celebrate Diwali within their household but among community members. Even when in a nuclear family, families decorate their homes, visit each others homes, meet at a common open ground for bursting crackers and have a Diwali Milan on the weekend around Diwali. The point is Diwali does not pass off as just another Holiday whether you are bachelor or with family.

A Diwali Milan in Kuwait

Incidentally while I was in Air Force, there was always some social bonding on festivals.In the absence of relatives,colleagues living in the same campus became extended family.

So while Holi was approaching, my wife gave the verdict that Holi would not be just another Holiday for us. She wanted our son  to immerse in the same joys as we once did in our childhood. This called for more than buying our son a “Pichkari” or just applying some color on his forehead. Holi had to be the wild, tiring day of which we had childhood memories.

So we decided to have a small get together of my son Manyu’s friends staying in the same colony. We arranged Pichkaris and Gulal for all of them. Told the mothers to accompany them to our home where we collected for some snacks and some games.

Then we moved down to the parking lot with our colors and Pichkaris.Once the ceremonial color was put on their cheeks and forehead, the kids went berserk with their Pichkairs. Their joy was unadulterated and their enthusiasm had no limits. All that was required was to give them a platform to be together, they scripted their own festival. 

It is absolutely essential that we introduce our children and also continue the celebration of festivals in our lives irrespective of the place we are living. While Cadbury can give reason for “Kuch Meetha Ho jaye”,we just have to be ready for celeberation and India will give you a number of days for the same. Isn’t why India is called the land of festivals?