Diwali was round the corner. The city wore a festive look. The bazaar was teeming with people making purchases. Sweet shops, textile showrooms and fire cracker stalls were all so crowded that you could only see heads bobbing every where. It was a sea of humanity and colouful lights and festoons adorned the entire area.
Just back from school, Rohit flung the bag in a corner and ran out to watch the boys in his neighbourhood getting ready to light their fire crackers. His mother yelled shrilly after him asking him to have his evening snack. But Rohit turned a deaf ear and was out of sight in a jiffy.
All of eight years, this little boy couldn't control his excitement at the prospect of watching the other boys share their bagloads of crackers. Although he was petrified by the loud decibel of the crackers, he loved the resplendent splendour of the flower pots as they illuminated the nightsky and fell in a showering heap and the chakras as they whirred and twirled in radiant circles on the ground. How he wished he could join in the fun! Alas , that was not to be. He had to be content being a distant mute spectator.
Rohit's father worked as a peon in one of the private companies and it was difficult to make ends meet in a big city. His mother took up a job as a cook to augment the family income. They lived in a cubby hole in one of the by lanes of the locality where his mother worked in a bungalow.
This diwali had especially been difficult for them as his father had not yet received the bonus that is disbursed to employees during the festive season. An unresolved dispute between the management and workers' union led to the interminable delay that indirectly played spoilsport and added to Rohit's woes.
Rohit could not even aspire for a new set of clothes, leave alone other luxuries like fire crackers or digging into luscious mouth watering sweets and goodies.
It was twilight and the children in the neighbourhood gathered round holding animated conversations on who should light the flower pots and chakras and burst the loud firecrackers and bombs. The diwali fever had gripped them all as they talked gaily and incessantly about their new presents, fired rockets into the sky and the air resonated with the continuous deafening noise of the hundred and thousand wala bombs. Rohit s heart sank as he couldnt join in this merry making. He looked forlorn and dejected. In a flash, his thoughts raced back to the happenings of that morning. At school he had listened to the gleeful diwali chatter that children indulged in. 'Iam getting a pair of corduroy jeans this time for diwali 'boasted Ankit to the other children sitting in his row. 'My father has got me a Disneyland t.shirt from the U.S.'said Praneet.'And Iam getting a new bicycle' tweeted Manish. Rohit s mind quietly took in these details.
Many a time he had asked his parents why he couldnt have the same luxuries that the other children enjoyed. He was simply given the reply ' There s not enough money '. The little child in his naivete often found it difficult to accept this answer as both his parents went to work as did many of his other friends 'parents. Then why was he living in a ramshackle of a house when there were other children coming from plush multi storied apartments and bungalows. Why did he have to trudge on foot to school when some of his friends came in spanking chaffeur driven cars. Why did he not have modern appliances and sophisticated gadgets at home. Why was it always struggle for money at home. Why, why, why when his parents too did a hard days work.It rightly puzzled the little boy as he couldn't comprehend the complexities of life such as disparity in income and standard of living at such a tender age. He was unable to see the world thro the jaundiced eyes of an adult.He couldnt fathom that there was a vast chasm that separated the haves from the have nots!A heart and mind untainted as yet by the crass materialism that permeates the adult world. Such unadulterated childish innocence! Oh, how he yearned for a new pair of jeans and t.shirt and a box of fire crackers.
The evening wore on, as he watched the activities with an aching heart and a churning mind full of unanswered questions when he caught a glimpse of his father walking home excitedly.
As his father entered the house, he
brought the good news about receiving his diwali bonus. Rohit s heart leaped with joy the moment he heard he had to get ready to do his diwali shopping!! Now he too had something to talk and show his friends!!!
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