Another Deepavali Missed

This is the cost of being in the US. I wish at least the Indian restaurants and other business owners here sponsored a fireworks show, like Ivars Restaurant does for 4th of July celebrations. I think that will remain just a wish.

A little background, guys: On Deepavali, the day good won over evil, we wake up very early in the morning, take an oil bath, wear new clothes, set off fire crackers and eat yummy yummy food (“Deepavali Special”) that mom makes. There will be several ‘special programs’ in the television. Adults, kids and everyone in between have great fun.

We used to live in a house before that had lots of open space on the front. The street nearby is still called ‘Konar Street’ - Konar being the caste that raises cows to produce milk products. So they have cows and buffaloes aplenty. Herds of cows and buffaloes with regroup like armies in front of our house. So, there will be lot of cow dung on the ground in the morning. I was a kid then. I set a fire-cracker in a heap of cow dung. I lighted it and ran away. It was two “atom” bombs (the ones which is made of spherical ball of jute and explosive material) tied together. That was one heck of an explosion that made that fresh cow dung fly. There was a guy walking by with white shirt and white dothi. You know the rest. My dad was angry when he heard it :-)