This is the week, where officially, all desis who have in the past enjoyed normal Diwalis, realize it is no more a part of their lives, and replace it with memories of diwali in India, of well consumed mixtures, murukkus, mysore paks and badhushahs, and then go down the oft-trodden train of thoughts of.. ‘What am I doing here? I should go back to India… Cant save money, need to do all the work myself etc… ‘. On the day of diwali, we all call our parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, uncles, aunts etc.. wish them a happy diwali, and make sure that they indeed did have a ‘ganga-snanam’, indeed started with firing the 100-wala, indeed wore the new clothes, and indeed call each other locally. Another every diwali phenomenon, is that, ‘Background lae pattaasu satham kaekardhaa??’, which usually one might faintly hear, and enthusiastically say ‘yes-yes kaekardhu’ as if it was melodious music that they have been waiting to hear their whole life. Once done with this, what we normally do is wear our usual business casuals, pack our sambar sadhams, pick up our laptops and head to work.
This week, because of my exposure to Sun TV and the gazzilion ads airing these days the above feelings were multiplied by 1000. Apparently in India, Diwali season has become equivalent to the Christmas New Year holiday season in the US, with regards to shopping. It is interesting to see how everything from laptops to silk sarees to jewellery to cell phones are on being marketed as on sale specially for diwali. Jewellery stores like Prince jewellery is giving away gift cards for clothes if you buy jewellery.
In the US however, the sales are in a totally separate class. This picture explains everything I would like to say:
So this is that time where I start thinking to myself.. What am I doing here? I should go back to India… Cant save money, need to do all the work myself.. (you know how this goes).
Happy Diwali to all you folks!
NRI Maami 
bhghgmmbbm
Oops. sorry. Was munching on crisp thattai and freshly made mixture.
(finishing last sip of filter coffee)
Thanks for the wishes. Ill go and have some Deepavali marundhu now, for digestion purposes.
Happy Deepavali.
Rekha: Grrrrrrrrrrrrr
Happy Deepavali !!!
…atleast suntv varudhey nu sandosha pattukanom…weekendaa irundha super aaa irundhurkum…but….
hmmm…need to be at work…Cant save money, need to do all the work myself…What am I doing here? I should go back to India…
hmm…got the diwali blues eh?
well..thats another thing i will never understand! why on earth would you enjoy all that NOISE!!! i could never ever make sense out of that funny enjoyment people got out of making noise and splitting your eardrums…you might as well put a needle in your ears and that should do the trick!
and for the dresses…hey! kohls is not too far away..
…and for the uncles and aunties and all the company…well…i guess you will have to manage with me dropping in there and gobbling up all the goodies you made!
happy diwali!
seriously the noise is deafening! I like every other aspect except the crackers part!
Nice post, You have put down all my feelings in your post. My first diwali in US and i feel so depressed nd lonely. However tried to pep myslef up and made bakshanams but still nth like diwali in namba chennai. Truly said heard pattasu saththam in the background during my call to India and became nostalgic 🙂
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