Light up your life this Diwali #GharWaliDiwali

This post has been exclusively written for the IndiBlogger PepsiCo #GharWaliDiwali celebrations. Check out https://www.gharwalidiwali.com/.

Source: aboutfestivalsofindia.com

Festivals bring families together, and make life a joyful experience. Diwali, for me, is a special festival because I belong to a business family, and for businesses, Diwali marks a new beginning. Diwali, for me, is experiencing some of the most delicious foods that are prepared in my shop (ssshhh..., don't tell my dad, neighboring shops too). Diwali, for me, is about experiencing the power of lights, how they can, so easily, erase darkness. Most importantly, Diwali, for me, is about reunion.

In a fast pacing world that we live in, we seldom find time to even speak to people with whom we live. Our communication with our parents or siblings has become limited. Interestingly, communication with colleagues and friends has shot up. All thanks to long office hours, social media, smartphones, and the great internet. Face to face communication has far lost its identity. But then, never will it lose its appeal. It is by far the best mode of communication I have experienced. And this becomes possible in Diwali. Firstly because our shop will be closed for customers as we have a Pooja on this day and so, my dad and uncles are free. All my cousins who live in different cities are also home. So, this becomes a grand family get together moment. We sit and talk, talk, talk, talk and talk. After all, there's a year's break to be caught up. I spend a whole lot of time talking to my mom and listening to all her gossips. I have nothing to do with them but its fun. I spend time with her in the kitchen, helping her prepare food. In the process, I also learn cooking some stuff each time.

Another important task during Diwali is cleaning. We clean the entire house from a small handkerchief to the large furniture. Every corner of the house is vacuum cleaned. We also wash all our vehicles, machinery and electronic goods, and perform various rituals. The house is decorated and lights are lit all over. A nice big lamp is placed at the entrance of the house. The festival is also an occasion to purchase new things. There are several offers and schemes going on and we shop a lot. So, its a tiring day too.

Source: pepsicoindia.co.in

In the evening, its time for friends. As is the standard today, everyone works in Bangalore, where all IT companies are located, but their parents live in different cities. So, a lot of them visit native place to celebrate festival. So, we also have a friends' reunion. For about 2-3 hours, we share our experiences and relish our history of adventures. Its such fun to remember what we did in our childhood. And its always great to meet childhood friends.

After dinner, its time for cousins - the other side of our childhood. Our talks and gossips go on and on till late night. Not to forget, before the talks begin, we enjoy lighting lamps and bursting crackers. In our neighborhood, they also launch an air balloon with a lamp inside it, and several such balloons light up the sky. It is such a beautiful and captivating scene.

Diwali is also a festival of peace. It brings people together. Last year, when I was watching the TV, I saw that the Indian Army at J&K border share special Diwali Sweets with the Pakistani Army. In return, the Pakistan Army wished the Indian Army a Happy Diwali with their set of sweets. Wow, I was almost in tears when I further learnt that this happens every year. Who wants to fight? I am sure nobody wants to press a trigger against someone who's standing before who is also bound by the same life and duties. But for some reasons, for some selfish peoples' greedy ambitions, for some politically motivated thoughts, they are forced to press the trigger. I watched this movie War, Chhod Na Yaar, which took a satirical approach to war and from then, I have been thinking, after breaking India into 2 nations, why shouldn't we just merge into one grand Bharat.

This Diwali, I am going home and it is going to be an awesome #GharWaliDiwali.

Happy Diwali !!!

Celebrate this Diwali with Pepsi and Kurkure, a tasty combination, and with this enchanting video.