NRI Maami

Two posts ago, I ranted about how much I missed Deepavali in India. To somewhat offset my self-pity and bitterness at being away in ‘America Naadu’, I decided I would take extra effort to make Deepavali enjoyable. So, I took it upon myself to make available 3 sweets and 3 kaarams - that would definitely bring home the Deepavali spirit. With the help of my experienced MIL who made Thenkuzhal, Ribbon Pakoda and the ‘Veetuku - Veedu’ popular 7-cake, and Badushah bought from a Bangalore Iyengar Samayal Kaarar at $1 a piece, I reached my goal by myself making Manankombu a.k.a Mul Murukku and a fancy sweet called Lavanga Lathika (the name of which many people had a hard time remembering). So, by Deepavali day, we had plenty to eat in the area of Bakshanams.

On the morning of Deepavali, all of us had new clothes, Deepavali marundhu. We videotaped the ‘Ennai Sasthram’ of my daughter who was quite amused by the whole process.

My office is well represented by the TamBrahm clan. We stand at a dignified 100% of the total office population. So, all of us decided there was no harm whatsoever, and that in fact it made absolute sense to have a ‘bada khana’ of good pandigai sapadu. The women folk in the office decided we could skip our business casuals and show up in salwars. We planned a very satisfying menu which started with bisi bela bath and ended with theratti paal for sweet. I don’t want to earn the ‘vaitheruchal’ of those who had a busy Deepavali at work by describing the menu in detail. I think it will suffice if I say, all of us had a hard time keeping our eyes open for the rest of the day.

I also learnt from a friend, that fire-crackers are available around July 4. Next year, I plan to stock up in July, so I have nothing to yearn for but the company of my family in India. Next Deepavali will be even better.

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!