Diwali dawns

 Diwali dawns! I am using 'dawns' here to mean both, begins (as a verb) and the wee hours before the morning (as a noun).  Yes, both ways, 'dawns' means  happy, joyous moments. 

Diwali dawns, in the sense, begins on the Dhanteras day. As per the myth, it is the day when Devi Durga, Lord Kubera and Dhanwantari emerged from the samudra manthan, the churning of the Ksheer Sagar for amrita, the nectar of/for eternal life.

On this day, Aai-Papa used to pray to both Devi Laxmi and Dhanwantari. In other words, Diwali used to begin with the celebration of both wealth (In the Puja Patra, there used be foreign currency as well. They were both proudly happy about the various coins and notes their sons brought from abroad; Raju, literally from all over the world), but health as well. On this day, I suppose, most doctors, too, perform a Puja. 

Only on this day, Aai would put a 'panati', the earthen 'diya', with its wick directed southwards. The south is traditionally believed to be the abode of Lord Yama, the god of death. In a way, this custom is a subtle awareness of mortality, of death even in extreme joy, during abundance and celebration. May be, the ritual is also rooted in the bipolar balance of the earth, the north and the south poles, and the related equinox. Yes, I need to research a little, read up some more on this topic.

As for the Diwali dawns (as a noun), the lovely memories are simply a surfeit of all the senses. Aai would begin every Diwali morning with playing the LP record of Ustad Bismillah Khan's shehnai. Those gentle notes still play in my ears. The body and head massage with warm oil, next the warm water bath with the Diwali special 'utne' and Mysore sandal soap, not to forget the "owalni" with her soft, gentle fingers on a forehead still warm and wet, and the unique 'fulbaji' fragrance towards the end of the festival bath, well, to enjoy Diwali was a blessing. To be a child of loving parents was simply divine!

Pratima@ Every Diwali dawn would begin with the perfect 'faral', followed by a lovely lunch. As such sweets and those generous gifts were in those days enjoyed only during Diwali, the festival was complete contentment.