Diwali’s temple visit

The street leading to the temple of a faraway suburb of Mumbai was glittering with the light and activity of Diwali. The hawkers on the street were all frantically trying to make a sale. The yellow bulb hanging on each of these stalls, made the puja articles shine like yellow and red mirrors. Agarbattis, garlands, flowers, religious books and many more small and big things were scattered over these stalls.

Middle aged women were thronging these stalls trying to make their pick. Some of them who had their children along were busy multi-tasking between scrutinising the items on one hand and pulling the disinterested children from running away on the other. The shopkeepers eager to convince the customers were explaining each item’s ‘USP’. One could hear aggressive sounds of bargaining even from a distance. Some women just glanced through the articles with some curiosity and then moved on to the next hawker. Eventually, everyone headed to the temple at the end of the street.

The temple premise was as full of activity as the busy street outside. The temple, decorated with colorful bulbs and flowers made the atmosphere truly festival like. Small children were scurrying around in their new clothes; women were praying, chattering and gossiping. The temple priests were busy preparing for the arati. They hurriedly moved in and out of the small backdoor of the temple which was restricted to the aam junta. In the corner of the temple, was a tiny old woman in a light blue saree. She with eager eyes was constantly wishing everyone who passed her; Jai Shri Krishna. One wouldn’t know why she was doing that till someone dropped a few coins in her hands. She would then carefully put the money in her pouch and continue with the routine again.

People entered the temple barefoot, closed their eyes for a few seconds praying to the closed doors (as the doors were still not open for the arati). They would then look for the known faces the crowd and suddenly start talking about their Diwali dinner plans and the shopping done. One could even overhear them talking about the recipe about the secret chatni recipe. But once the temple doors opened for the arati, everything was forgotten. Women pulled their children from the courtyard towards the temple and forcibly put their palms together for the prayer. Though the children looked rather unhappy and confused, they followed the instructions. The chattering of the crowd and the tiny old woman’s Jai Shri Krishna drowned as the high pitched arati and the ringing of the bells begun.