Dussera in my childhood...

All festivals in childhood are very joyful as compared to adulthood when they are just counted as leaves. Each of them have a different taste then. We all would agree, as kids we used to wait for these festivals for weeks. On this Dussera, I am writing about how I have celebrated Dussera in my childhood, killing 3 Ravans each year...yes, 3 Ravans. The joy of Dussera to me used to start at 7 am in the morning with different racing competitions on the square.

The anchor annoucing start of the games and crowd cheering loud for winners, really used to create an amazing environment. An hour later, to buy fresh floweres, make malas and put them on our home's entrance was once a year activity for me. Only on this holy day, I would worship my books/schoolbag. In history, this tradition originally came from farmers who would worship their instruments on Dussera. To me it came from my father and as a student I followed it on my instruments, of course those were books then :)

The best part would come in the afternoon, when I would make a Ravan of my own. I did this for years buying stuff from local stationary shop and putting crackers inside, with all my friends then watching it this will be a proof of my creative self for the whole life. I would keep it ready before I leave with my sis n dad for Dussera maidan for my 1st Ravan Dahan of the day. After the 1st Ravan Dahan on our way back we would bring home Sona-patti. And on return, we would kill Ravan made of rice on a table where all males of the family would kill it together with a knife and find a golden ring inside it..that would be the 2nd one. And then for 3rd, I would force my family and friends to join me and see my Ravan burning. It was kind of great with every one just watching and I putting it on fire. This whole day used to be very amusing, but now that's history.

Not sure if everyone knows Dussera is not a single but two days celebration, second day is called Basi-Dussera. On Basi-Dussera, younger generation takes blessings of their elders by giving them Sona-patti and bowing across them. In our days, this was a leave and we all friends would gather and visit each house of colony to give them Sona-patti and get blessing in form of sweets/eatables, at least those were the preffered ones :) This would help people know each other and create a friendly environment. In last 4-5 years, I have lived in places where I hadn't known my immediate neighbours.

Sad but those celebrations are a history now. It has been 8 years since I enjoyed Dussera and saw people celebrating, burning effigies of Ravan.