Diwali-Festivities and Beyond

With colorful fireworks, lighting up the sky, with rangolis covering the floor, with happiness all over, it is the festival of lights. The time of Diwali is one of the most festive and beautiful times of the year. It is a time filled with light and love; a time when people all over the world rejoice.
But where there is light, there is darkness too, where there is happiness, there is sadness too, where there is hope there is despair too. Amidst the wave of rejoice, lied a thunderstorm of sorrow. On auspicious day of the festival of lights, when there is luminescence all around, only one tinted street bulb glowed in a small hut. The streetlight flickered as Ramesh sat beside his ailing mother.”Beta, after your father’s death, it’s now your responsibility to take care of your family, and I know I won’t be able live beyond a week. After me you’ve to look after Sita” said Ramesh’s mother as she pointed towards Ramesh’s sister Sita.
At the age of twelve Ramesh’s shoulders were burdened with the charge of his family. His father was a potter who tried to make both ends meet with his meager income. After his father, it was Ramesh, who being the only male member of the family, had to look after his family. He walked towards the bazaar where his father’s potter’s wheel and his ‘shop’ existed. Ramesh started to make some earthen pots and diyas. Though this was the festive part of the season, yet the potter’s business continued to deteriorate .The use of Chinese products, floating candles and other new products had got the income rate of the potters down. People preferred buying them in place of the primitive diyas. Following the bandwagon of the fashion and trends, people couldn’t realize that the real essence of the festival of lights. Ramesh thought that by selling pottery he would gather enough money to get medicines for his mother and pay the fees of Sita. He moved the potter’s wheel with is his inexperienced hands as a strong glare fell on his eyes. A white car halted at the toy shop near his workplace. Two children, most probably twins, got down the white Sedan with their father. The twins longed to buy a football so their father bought them one from the toy shop. Ramesh was looking towards the toy customers as someone called out his name,”Ramesh, see someone wants to buy your pots and some diyas. Ramesh’s heart teemed with joy on hearing it as he ran towards the customer. All this while the twins were playing with the football, trying to prove who’s better at the sport. After long undeceive match, one of the twins remarked,”This isn’t proving anything, so let us add some spice to game. The one who whose shots make the pots there fall down will be the winner.” said the boy pointing towards the pyramid of earthen pots made by Ramesh to allure the customers. Ramesh, on the other hand had got his first and a rich customer who wanted to buy 5 pots and some diyas. Ramesh thought that this time Diwali was happy for him too. He was bringing the customer towards the his shop with skyrocketing hopes and ambitions in his mind as he saw the scene .He shouted asking the boys not to do that, with bated breath but he was too late. He watched with teary eyes as his dreams and his hardwork shattered in front of him. All his pots and diyas lay broken to pieces .Ramesh shouted at the brats for their blunder. Suddenly, their father intervened and started to yell at Ramesh instead of his kids. The two kids smirked as poor Ramesh was being shouted upon by their father. The father with his sons got into their car without any repentation for the loss. Ramesh sat there with his head bowed down both in anger and pain. Tears found their way out of his eyes as he thought about his ailing mother and his younger sister and their miserable future. He watched as the light of the sun dipped into the horizon.He watched as the brightness of his hopes dipped deep into the horizon of despondency.

The rich and the poor nowadays don’t seem to share the same piece of cake. While the rich have prejudices against the poor, the poor too have contempt for rich. It’s high time to break the barriers that lead us to the downfall of our society. Shed your hatred and show your love this Diwali and make Diwali, truly, the festival of lights. No matter how many candles and diyas you light, they are useless until the inner light of your soul flares up.