Kali Chaudas

A day that marks the destruction of evil, a day when the black arts are practiced and a night that is considered the witching night. Coincidentally today is also Halloween.

There is not much to be done today, except prepare for tomorrow. A normal day at work and frantic also, since from tomorrow offices here will be shut for at least 6 days.

Over the years I have nearly always spent this day making a huge rangoli inside the house. The size would be around 5 feet broad and about 3 feet long. And I would use grains and pulses to make this.

Once this is made, it will be kept till Dev Diwali; Diwali of the gods that is celebrated 15 days after the normal Diwali. The celebrations on this day are nearly as big as they will be tomorrow.

This year, because of lack of space and time I am not going to be making this rangoli. Instead I am going to be at work the whole day, getting things out of the way for the next few days when we are going to be shut.

Dhanteras

Finally, the festival of Diwali is upon us. Today marks the beginning of the rituals and festivities.

This time last year…

Today has been crazy. I needed to make the rangoli. Make sure the clay lamps are filled. I wanted to get things out of the way before the auspicious time for the prayers began. I also needed to buy some silver within a specific time period. I got a 10 gram coin with Goddess Laxmi (our Goddess of Wealth) on it.

I decided on the more abstract of the Ganeshes for my rangoli. Gave it a frame and a background, then placed small mirrors around it. Here is what it turned out looking like. I am really happy, though simple this has been one the best I have ever made.

Now to light the candles and then do the prayers. Then I will spend the rest of the evening in the company of my friends.

And this year…

Oh My God! I have been running around the whole day trying to get things done in time. Why do I always leave things for the last minute? As mom says “We do this every year, but we never learn. :-)”

I had to finally settle with buying clay lamps and putting candles in them. I also got some string lights for the doorway and the balcony parapet.

Mom decided that she does want to have the prayer ritual in the new house. So we needed to get some stuff for that, and prepare the puja thali.

This time I decided not to buy a silver coin. Instead I got a silver lota (one of the vessels used in the prayers).

After doing all that at about 6:00 PM I settled down to make the rangoli. I didn’t find a design that I liked enough to make, so I had to come up with it myself. It was going to be a mango in a square.

Halfway through I had to stop to go up to the new house for the prayers. It was a pleasure to share this evening with some dear friends of our family. Thank you Manjit Aunty and Inderjit for being a part of our first prayers in the new house!

Here is how the prayer rituals went. In a platter we place statues / silver or gold coins of our Gods. Mom and dad put their wedding rings, I put my engagement ring. Similarly everyone else present also put something to signify their own wealth.

Under these, I made the swastika symbol, then placed diyas to the left and right of it and one in the center. Incense is also burnt.

All the Gods and jewelry were first washed with a liquid which is a combination of 5 things called the panchamrut – ghee, dahi, milk, honey and sugar. Then the same thing was done with water. A tika was applied to them all, first the red Kanku and then rice. A sweet offering was made and then flowers placed and lastly the prayers said.


Dad following the rituals while mom guides him & my grandmom praying

This ritual was done individually by everyone present. And to end it the whole platter is taken around the house to spread the blessings.

Having done this, I came back down. While the rest of my family and our friends sat down to play a game of deadly (rummy without jokers), I finished the rangoli and then joined them.

Dinner is done, aunty has left to go home. Inderjit and I are waiting for the rest of our gang to land up. We are going to head up to the roof terrace of the new house and chill for a while.

Goodnight!

One day more

The festive bug has got to me. Everything I need to do tomorrow, I want to do today. I didn’t even feel like coming into work. It’s the weekend…

This time last year…

The clay lamps are drying in the sun. My rangoli colors have come. Our gardener will get a garland for the door tomorrow. The prayer thali (platter) and other paraphernalia has been taken out and will be cleaned today.



What’s left? Ah! The rangoli design! A little research on the net and this is what I have found. I will take a print out and stare at it before deciding tomorrow what I will make.



The excitement is building…

And this year…

The boyas (read previous entry) are not available. Apparently people now prefer to use small candles instead. What a shame. I will have to hunt out some nice candles now to use this year. Soon after I finish posting this, I will go candle hunting. Also on the list are string lights. And some door handles (did I tell you we were doing up our new house).

I am also about to start a hunt for this year’s rangoli. I have decided that I will make the colors on marble work. So what if it takes a little more effort. It’s worth it. I’m thinking abstract art.

More tomorrow…

The countdown has begun

Theatrics aside, there are two days left for Dhanteras. Two days for the beginning of the celebrations / rituals / customs / the works.

This time last year…

The diyas (clay lamps) were extracted a few days ago, from an odd box in the cellar and soaked in water. This in the hope of getting rid of last year’s soot and oil remnants. Getting them clean and usable for this year.

With just 2 days to go, I must get the lamps out of the water, so they can bake and dry in the sun till the evening of Dhanteras when they will be first used.

The wicks have been bought and made ready. The oil has also been bought, only a few liters for the moment. I know I will have to replenish it in a few days. I have also got my rangoli colors. I will have to replenish these as well, depending on what I make and what size it gets to.

Speaking of which, it is high time I figure out what I want to make. Should I start this year with some abstract art? Or should I make a Ganesh? I love making Ganeshes because it is so traditional and fits with the occasion. But it is a difficult form to follow. Maybe an abstract Ganesh would be best.


I made a rainbow with a pot of gold one year

I will look for a few nice designs on the internet. Let’ see what I find. Another place to look for inspiration is last year’s Diwali cards, and wedding invitations. In trying to outdo themselves and each other people use the most interesting artwork for cards.

Later tonight I will check to see if my rope lights are working and also see where I can string them up.

And this year…

I have ordered some glasses in which I will pour colored water till halfway and then top it with a thick layer of oil. The wicks that will be used in these are called boyas. They are made of very thin bamboo with a tuft of cotton. The bamboo portion floats on the oil, while the cotton absorbs the oil from the bottom and burns on the top.

I am getting these for my grandmother’s house. That’s where we are staying while waiting for our house to get done. My grandmother lives in an apartment 2 floors below our new place. Unfortunately, clay lamps can’t be used, because the breeze on the 8th floor will blow them out in no time. The glass lamps will have the flame a little below the rim, so it will be protected.

I am also thinking of what I will do for the rangoli. Placing the colored powder on marble flooring is a thankless task. It keeps bouncing of, not letting me create a clean form. Maybe it is time to get innovative. I could paint on the floor with water soluble colors, but somehow it’s not the same.

Till tomorrow… adios

This year is an exception

Every year for the last 15 years, I have always been very excited about the onset of Diwali. There are so many things to do in preparation. I hassle everyone at home to clean up the place. Put away things that will not be needed for the next 10 days. Things need to be bought, or dug out of obscure boxes lying in the cellar.

This year there is none of that. My parents and I are in the midst of shifting home. We bought this spacious apartment a few months ago and are now in the middle of getting it done up. We had planned to have it ready sometime last month, but no such luck.

Once again the old adage has been proved right; it is easy to get the workers to come into the house and start work, but to get them to finish and leave is Herculean.

We thought the masons were slow, till we saw the carpenters. We pushed the carpenters till we saw the painters. We screamed at the painters till we saw the electricians and so on and so forth. Meanwhile the rest of the agencies working with us have been coming and going. A new set of people every few days. They are all getting in each other’s way and my parent’s and I can’t wait to sigh with relief when we see them all leave.

But I digress... Back to Diwali… As I said this time I don’t have my house to do all the things I normally do, so I am going to celebrate this year virtually.

I will fill this space with what I would normally do, what I have done in the past, what I may have done, had the house been ready…

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it…

Diwali

Diwali means ‘row of lights’. This festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil and coincides with the Indian New Year (based on the lunar calendar). It is India’s biggest festival and is celebrated across the country in many different ways. Here is how we celebrate it where we live.

As a run up to the festival, people do their spring cleaning. Houses and offices are painted, new clothes, jewelry are bought, etc.

During this week garlands of leaves and flowers are hung at the door of the house. Near the entrance a rangoli is made. This is like a painting made from colored powders; some people also use different grains and pulses. The designs are usually either gods or auspicious symbols or simply traditional art.


Different rangolis made from colored powders


Me making a rangoli

People will use these days to call on and meet friends and family. Gifts and Indian sweets will be exchanged. The air of celebration will be everywhere. Practically no one works at this time.

Every evening as darkness falls rows and rows of small clay lamps will be filled with oil and lit to be placed at the periphery of the house. Fire crackers are burnt as part of the celebrations.


Clay lamps placed on a rangoli made from different grains and pulses

The first day is called Dhanteras. On this day people pray to the goddess of wealth. In the evening the family gathers to conduct the prayers. It is considered auspicious to purchase some silver or gold on this day.


Mom & Dad doing the Dhanteras prayers

Day 2 is Kali Chaudas. This day signifies the destruction of all that is evil.

The big day – Diwali; the last day of the lunar calendar. Prayers are conducted at places of business and the account books for the year that has passed are closed. New books are opened and prayers for good fortune are said. The rest of the day is spent in meeting family and friends.

Me doing the Diwali prayers at the office & opening the new account books

The next day is the New Year or Bestu Varas. This day is mainly spent in wishing loved ones a very happy new year and exchanging gifts and sweets.

Day 5 is Bhai Duj, the day sisters invite their brothers home for a meal and pray for their well being.

This is followed by 2 more days of holidays and then on the 8th day (labh pancham) all businesses will reopen after a small prayer ritual and a new year of business commences. A good transaction on this day is considered auspicious, since it signifies a trend for the year to come.

There are great mythological and historical stories behind this entire festival. If you are ever curious about these, email me at inmyeye@gmail.com and I will be happy to tell you about them. Thank you for taking the time to read about our festival.


From me & my family, I wish you a very
Happy Diwali & Prosperous New Year