Chapter 1

HAPPY DEEPAWALI

            Life in a series of unpredictable moments at unpredictable times. All throughout one's life one goes through darkness and light, through despair and hope. Happiness and sadness both essential parts of life, one to live and one for experience. One day in the year on which happiness spreads is diwali.

 

            They planned well in advance as to what they needed to do to make this day a special one, and it had to be obviously it was their first diwali together after their marriage. Everything had to be perfect for this perfect couple. He had planned all the gifts he wanted to give her for this festival while she had already bought gifts for him, all the preparations were done and they were happy about being together.

 

            It was the eve of deepawali and all of them were happy about the leave they were getting. It was such a relief for them to get a leave from work after those 6 hectic months they spent as senior doctors. As he wished goodbye to all their friends he went to get the car out of the parking as she collected some files and then joined him at the main gate. As she settled her seatbelt she flexed her neck a little clearly showing signs of tiredness and exhaustion. As he slowly slipped her hand into his under the gear his touch relieved her from much of the tiredness of her day.

 

            Getting home and finally into their jacuzzi after such a hectic day was a relief.  they had a romantic and cosy bath for a long time till their body releases all signs of exhaustion they both got dressed into their nightwear and settled on their bed in each other's arms.

 

" basket, I cant believe it, diwali is here and then soon after our first anniversary, I don't know how this one year went by in your love" he whispered as he slowly caressed her back making his grip around her tighter

 

" armaan, so will many years pass by and we will never realize how the depth of our love keeps increasing with the passing second" she smiled

 

He smiled at her statement and then neither of them spoke for sometime just sinking into the depth of love their hearts talking continously, this silence came to be broken by a phone call and there they were in the hospital. An emergency call and they had to leave, the only discomfort of their profession.

 

" doctors, there was a bomb blast half an hour back at a village near lonavla and the people there are injured severely and need immediate medication, you need to rush there as soon as possible as it involves many lives." Dr modi exclaimed as he left the cabin and there the couple stood with no more words needed.

 

They immediately left with their journey being a silent one due to their disappointment …. All their plans were of no use now. Both of them did not have enough   will to console each other as both were equally dejected. They never thought of this possibility however they knew at the moment saving the lives of those people was more important.

 

Reaching the village at about quarter to eleven they were shocked to see the situation. The bloodshed for once discouraged them however rebuilding their will they looked around to see emergency patients. Finding loads of them all around they did not know who to attend first however they started with this small boy, who was bleeding badly his mother sitting by him mourning for him . as they saw the situation come under control some people from the hospital who accompanied them with the ambulance took over as they attended several patients.

 

It hurted them to see the people suffering this much on the eve of an occasion of happiness. A festival where good took over all evils is now full of evil practises in this unreal world. They broke down each second to see families mourning, people dying but they knew breaking down was not an option. One after another they cured the people, saved several lives. An old woman who thought she lost her son was returned with her smile. A young man who had lost all hope of his family surviving again believed in god. A small child once again could be the apple of his mother's eye who was critical just seconds ago.

 

Even though many died at the unhappening still many survived, what better gift of mankind could god kift to the villagers at that time. As the hand on the clock neared midnight many faces lit up with luminous smiles, old people sighing their blessings upon these angels in disguise, young men and women trying to express their gratitude and thankfulness in every way possible, children lighting up the atmosphere with colours of innocence and cuteness blended perfectly with happiness.

 

As for the angels of these villagers, however disappointed they were before arriving, now they were proud of having given life to people who god wanted to keep. What better satisfaction could they get on deepawali than having been able to being blessed with the gift of saving lives.

 

They realized that night that the spirit of deepawali is not in being happy and celebrating but spreading happiness and celebrations all around.

 

The luminous smiles of those people were better and brighter than candles they would have lit at home,

The innocence and love in their eyes was more colourful than the crackers they would have burst.

The gratitude and affection in their hearts was sweeter than the ones they would have at home.

The gratefulness in their soul was more beaurtiful than how they would have decorated their home.

 The sounds of their heartfelt laughter was more melodious than the musical greetings they would have exchanged.

The joyfullness in their voices was better than the few words they would have exchanged with each other.

 

 The tears that they wiped gave more happiness than the wax they would have melted

The happiness that they gave was more joy giving than what they would hab\ve shared

The lives that they saved were more valuable  than the exciting plans that they made

The deed that they performed was more satisfting than the celebration they would have shared

The blessing that they were showered with had more power than the offerings they would have made today

The laughter they had shared today had much will return to them happiness with greater intensity

 

 

And what they realized even more was that the plans were not for deepawali, they were for togetherness and that they had, be it in the form of celebrations or in the form of joy giving. What they actually wanted was their love which remained with them no matter what they did. What they really seeked was satisfaction which they received more than they imagined. And what more could be added to this than the etrnal blessings of our elders which are more meaningful than any ritual performed, blessings which are needed, blessings which would keep them together forever.

 

They realized today the meaning of the words " it is in giving that we receive" they let go some moments to welcome more pleasant ones in future.

 

 

Dillon ki gehraiyon mein basti hai muhabbat

Saanson mein panaah leti hai muhabbat

Zaroori nahi ki khushi tanhai mein ho

Baatne se badhti hain khushiyan itni

Ghat jaati hai dillon ki nafrat

 

Kyun na kuch aisa kare hum

Ki kisi ke chehre ki raunak ban jaaye

Kyun na zindagi ko aise jeeyein hum

Ki naam humaare kisi ki duaaon mein aayein

 

Kyun na kisi ke aansun aise mitaaye

Ki har khushi us par muskuraaye

Kyun na ban jaayein kisi ki khushi hum

Kyun na mita de kisi ke jeevan ka gham

 

Kyun na hum kisi ko apna banaye

Kyun na jeene ka matlab sikhayein

Kyun na apno ko samjhayein

Kyun na puraani baatein bhulaayein

 

Jeeyen azaadi ke ehsaas se

Mann mein khushiyon ko ho ashiyaan

Hum banayein kuch aisi duniya

Bas itni dua de de saaiyaan

 

Realizing the true meaning of this festival we are sure to feel bad to see the reality of the world but today as lord rama returned to his home he brought with him prosperity and happiness and this world in our our home and thus we need to return to where we belong and take with us some thought of how to make it a better place

 

love instills in heart very deep

love blossoms with every heartbeat

it is not necessary to celebrate your way

celebrations increase in sharing all say

and of hatred there is no ray

 

why don't we do something such that

everyone feels that someone cares

why don't we live in a manner such that

our names our whispered in someone's prayers

 

why  cant we wipe tears clean from one's life

such that every happiness dwells in their soul

why don't in their reason for happiness we survive

why doesn't removing their sadness becomes our goal

 

why don't we consider someone as our own

why don't we spread the meaning of living

why don't we harvest the seed of kindness sown

why don't we forget the past and stop cribbing

 

why do we not feel independent here

why doesn't melody of happiness stike the cord

let us we transform this world our way

this is all today I seek o lord!

 

This deepawali let us all join hands and decide to try and gift a smile to atleast one face and promise ourselves to let it happen always.  Let us come together and realize what diwali means beyond the crackling of crackers, the sweetness of delicacies and the light of candles. Spread a smile and then you will discover candles would shine brighter at your doorstep as with each smile what you get is the valuable gift of blessing. The candle will appear brighter and in your eyes will never get blown off even after years of this deed as god himself will smile upon you and rain on you light from heaven

 

" the confusion in life is that the people who were made to be loved are used and the things which were mad eto be used are loved….even though people get happy to get those things yet they forget the people who made it. But somewhere in this very unreal world of mortality rests our angel watching over us and endowing his blessings on us"

 

" all money on this earth cannot buy love but a liitle love alone can make money go weak. money might give smiles but those which stay forever are the ones touched with spirit of love"