Kartikey Sehgal

She lit the Diya. It lit her. (Anooradha Patel)

Two short songs sung on Diwali day by Seema Anil Sehgal during the pooja hosted by Anooradha Patel and Kanwaljit Singh. Listen here.

First Song.

a. Namo Namo Durge Sukh karani,
Namo Namo Ambe Dukh harani.
b. Nirakar hai jyoti tumhari,
Teen lok pheli ujayari.

Translated as: (source)

a. Salutations and Salutations to Durga, the giver of pleasure,
Salutations and salutations to the remover of Sorrow.
b. Your radiance is unparalleled,
And you shed light on the three worlds.

Second Song.

a. Jai Ganesh Bolo,
Bolo,
Jai Dev Bolo…
Paap Hriday Ke Dholo.

b. Bhakti Bhaav se Jo Bhi Aaye
Uske Dukkh Nivare,
Sab Devon main Ek Dev Hain
Rama Chandra Hamare,
Rama Chandra Hamare.

Translated as:

a. Say Jai Ganesh,
Say Jai ___ (insert deity name)
And wash the sins of the heart. (As we remember Lord Ganesh or any other deity, leave behind your sins and be honest now as you take the name of the deity)

b. Whoever comes with devotion   
He frees them from sorrows,
One deity among all the deities,
That’s our Rama Chandra,
That’s our Rama Chandra. (Among the many deities we have is one Mr. Rama Chandra who frees us from our sorrows when we remember him, i.e., the example (qualities)of his life.)

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Santa Singh

Illustration: Kartikey Sehgal

Diwali is time for shy men to become brave hearts. My two friends decided to be generous and give a box of sweets to a girl.

About these two boys: They seldom talk to anybody. One of them is bespectacled and doesn’t tuck his shirt inside his trousers unless there is a formal function. He walks timidly, miles away from girls. The other one is a devotee of his friend. He is tall and lanky and very supportive of all forms of cowardice.

Our bespectacled man, let’s call him B, wanted to wish ‘Happy Diwali’ to the girl. It was an act of immense courage that required immaculate planning. My help was sought and I told him to knock on the door and ask for her. Then give her a small box of sweets and wish her. But B was worried that if the girl’s mother opened the door, then B would be in trouble. B would never have the courage to ask the mother for the girl. He would keep standing until the mother slammed the door on him.

B’s lanky friend suggested that they throw the box through the window. B refused the idea stating that the girl could get injured and curse the boys. The friend suggested that they don’t mention B’s name in the greeting card attached to the box. But then she would never know that B bought it for her.

B told me his desire; he wanted to give the gift but not make it look like he was actually giving the gift. He wanted to appear very casual and natural, like he was just passing by and decided to give sweets to the girl since she saw him. Many plans were discussed but none had the spark B wanted.

Frustration took over. I told B not to go ahead with this idea because it could cause great trouble. He did not listen to me but listened to his libido and asked one of the local cracker-loving boys to help him out. The plan was set.

The local boy, clad in brown shorts and a half-sleeved shirt, crept alongside the floor railing and towards the door. He placed some crackers near the door. Red crackers; they make lot of noise. According to the plan, the boy would burst the crackers and then run. B would be standing at some distance. The girl or somebody would open the door and the boy, fed on 50 Rs, would run away. The girl would then see B who will promptly point towards the running boy. She would see the box of sweets in his hand and surely ask him to come inside. But B would just give the box of sweets to her and immediately leave.

The boy lit one cracker and ran without waiting for it to burst. He dashed across B and across the lanky friend and I; we were standing near the elevator. We could see B standing and scared. The boy had done his job but the crackers won’t burst. The door opened and the girl saw B standing. She waved out and said hello. B didn’t respond. She asked him if he was fine. B didn’t respond. As soon as the girl stepped out, the crackers started bursting. She screamed and ran inside her home. B was too scared to move. A minute later the girl opened the door and glared at B.

“Why didn’t you tell me there were crackers?”

After she slammed the door on him, B walked towards us, dejected and hurt.

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Kartikey Sehgal

[Why we celebrate Diwali: here and here.]

This Diwali, may you live up to your personal best.

When the road outside is lit with lamps and fireworks, may you find solace in your room with books and ideas. May you find solace anywhere you like.

May it be festive inside your self, so that when others greet you they don’t see decadence covered with a smile.

May you greet others with the entirety of confidence. You are not obliged to wish others. You can not change their life course with greeting cards and sweets. The best you can give them is your happiness.

You could also feel happy by giving clothes and sweets to the poor. Don’t be a slave to economy. You are not helping anybody by giving away your money. You are losing money and the poor person is getting freebies.

Don’t treat everybody alike for nobody is like you. You may be reducing your self while trying to be one with the poor or the underprivileged. They don’t even have to try to be equal to you. You are doing all the hard work.

Seek integrity within people who are economically struggling. Integrity rarely expects money and charity from others.

The commonality between a labourer and a banker is honour and not money. Spend time and some drinks with the honest labourer instead of the decadent neighbour or relative. The labourer would gladly give up his corrupt comrades to spend time with you.

However, if the labourer knows that you are corrupt and yet drinks with you, then you deserve his company.

If you are sick and can’t stand light and crackers then go to bed. It’s not compulsory to be dancing in Diwali. Most advertisement company employees know this and so they sleep well during festivals.

Remember, there were no fire crackers when Rama brought Sita back to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka. The city was simply lit with lamps and men and women possibly flirted with one another. So don’t spend money on the wide range of crackers if you don’t want to; unless your brother is coming home with his wife who had been taken by another man or woman.

Photograph: Pavana

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