Wednesday 29 October 2008

Diwali in Leicester



I celebrated my Diwali away from my family, as I had my college going on. Me and my roomy took a cab and braved through the traffic, pulling our classmate out of his slumber we reached just in time to see the celebrations begin. The kind cab driver showed us a shortcut. At subzero temperature clad in heavy coats reached the back gate of Kossington Park through an alleyway, shaded in the tiny alcove everybody was craning to get a clear glimpse of the fireworks. It had rained all day with light snowfall thereafter. I finally rubbed my hands together and braved to get my hands out of the pockets to get my cellphone. But as soon as the fireworks started I got transfixed to it and kept recording till the end.

All these miles away from India, I miss the chataiys and bombs in each gali and nukkad and sweets from relatives. Puja at home then running away with friends to create as much mishap as could be allowed. But going through Belgrave road at 9:00pm, seeing people rejoicing, and dancing, the sort of melancholy gripping all day finally was replaced by a sense of cheerfulness and completeness.