Tuesday 16 November 2010

Our Diwali

A little late in the day on our Diwali. But with the continuing excitement in our wait for Santa and Christmas, realised the spirit of celebration is way too high this time of the year. Diwali to Christmas is one super-thrill roller coaster ride.

Build up for Diwali started with the visit of Gmama who came to spend the week with us.
A much smaller Sia with Gmama outside Capital One, Trivandrum. Gmama and Sia share an incredible spirit of being totally chaotic. Gmama's visits are always activity filled. Visit to Gmama is also filled with similar thrills.

This Diwali was participatory, interrogative and alive.

Participatory since Sia joined in the buildup leading to the festivities. We did a streamer from the potato wedge painting done at school.



The 'L' for Lantern prop also done at school, very beautifully gelled into the whole atmosphere. It adorned along with the glow of diyas outside our home door.

These diyas were carefully selected for home and as gifts for each friend to share the Diwali spirit.

Lights were put up with Dada and Aditi. Diyas were lit and flower decorations were made. Though we missed out on the rangoli in all the hyperness and excitement. Sia got the most lovely Diwali present from her friend Aditi. An instant handmade diya greeting and a painted diya.



We read the stories of Hanuman and Rama. Ravana and Lanka. In the journey of understanding and knowing more about Diwali. Questions could give the huge size of Hanuman a chase of his lifetime. But yes...mythology was introduced. Stories were so interestingly heard and memorised. Each bed time story back then was Why did Hanuman chase the sun?

Sharing mithai and diyas with our neighbours, was nostalgic for me. To see my baby begin the same journey was fulfilling. Very few crackers we burst compared to the noisy, loud and really, really fun times I had growing up. But yes, tradition of lighting fireworks was complete. The evening sky for the two Diwali days was a canvas of varied patterns being formed by lights, which we enthusiastically watched from the gallery, revisiting stories from the Ramayan.

Chirstmas is almost here. Santa has already arrived in the form of stories, pop-up books and pretend play with Aditi. Santa and his reindeers Dasher and Dancer, Vixen and Prancer, Cupid and Comet and Donder and Blitzen have already begun their journey from the North Pole - straight to A302.


Monday 15 November 2010

Being mama!!

I haven't been like mama in a while. Which has me a little lost.

It was as if my fairy was watching over and listening...she sprinkled her pixie dust and revitalised my being...I was transformed all over again. Everything was all mama-baby again. All has been mama-baby since.....

I, more than anyone else had to celebrate. Simply cooked up a celebratory meal for my baby to rejoice my lost power and energy. Little did she know the reason for the special menu. Though I could see her wonderment and confusion when I was unlike mama.

Special meal served on her favourite plate: baby pooris, strawberry jam and natural flavoured yoghurt. All things that my 5 starred baby loves.

What an awe-inspiring and all powerful feeling it was. What a humbling feeling it is - being mama.