Whatever.....

It's Onam today. And it is of no consequence to me because we don't celebrate it anyway. No navaratri, diwali etc for us. Somoene in the family passed away. Not that we burst crackers and lose it like other Delhiites do. In fact by 11 pm I have quite had it with an apartment full of smoke and lots of untouched sweets in the fridge. It happens every year.
Last year though when I was in Chennai I almost died in the morning because I heard a loud blast and mini blasts that followed. I woke up and saw this strange mist. Or what looked like mist. Of course when the hell in Chennai would there be any mist. Chennai has everything except winters and water. Anyway I realised sometime later that it was Diwali and then I spent the rest of the morning explaining to my north Indian friends as to why South Indians celebrate diwali in the mornings.
I was told yesterday by someone that my Tamil speaking abilities suck and I'm influenced greatly by northiindia....why? because Diwali for me is lighting diyas and putting rangoli. Well I have come to believe that every festival has a certain charm which is different for everyone.
As for me its a collection of vague yet precious memories. Memories of my grandmother deep frying things in the kitchen. Lots of sweets. New clothes. Onset of my favourite season - winter.
Of my mother dressed in pretty kanjivarams. guests. more sweets. Joint family. Swati and I ending up wearing identical clothes. First cribbing. Then loving the attention. No school. No homework , atleast on Diwali. Then looking forward to christmas, velankani church. Dhananjay's accident. Carols with sneha. All of this and more so I don't care which part of India influenced me more. For me this is what matters, this is what I will live to pass on to my kids. Just the joy of being together. North,south East, west... wherever whenever.