Festival Musings

The modern sparkle in age-old celebrations.

- Romola Shanbhag

As the autumn air gives way to the balmy advent of winter, it seems as if Nature is extremely eager to celebrate the festival season with us. There is a pleasant nip in the air, fresh green adorns trees and the perfume of flowers spreads like a dream all around.

In homes too, the ambience is at once celebratory and joyous. Delicious mouthwatering fragrance of ghee, cardamom and roasting besan float through the home. Children prance around in new clothes with fire crackers clutched in excited fists, the women of the house bustle around in rustling silks, jasmine strung in their hair…Tiny clay lamps create glittering rows of twinkling lights on garden walls

Well, this was the scenario of the festive season some years ago…but now a sea change has taken place. There is bling and ostentation everywhere, money is poured into festivities more than care and love; the gentle intimacy of this special time has been taken over by commercialisation….

Is all this bad and unwanted? Of course not. Moving with the times and the demands and choices of today’s generation is very essential for all of us, however much we think nostalgically of bygone days.

“You know what?”remarked my friend meditatively as we pushed our way through the shopping crowd of a mall. “The famous saying…there is nothing more constant in life than change….is particularly appropriate for festival celebrations in our country.”

“What do you mean?”I asked.

She threw her hand toward the glittering show window of a garment outlet, filled completely with glittering, fashion dresses and menwear.

“Remember the days when our new Diwali clothes were flowered cotton frocks and khaki shorts? Now, new clothes mean all this!

YUMMY SMELLS

“Sweets were laddoos and