There used to be a time when about a month before Diwali the preparations used to start. The houses were whitewashed and painted in wonderful colors. People used to gorge on sweets and barfis without once giving a thought to their sugar levels or diabetes. Puris and jaleebis would be the delicacies that children and adults used to feast on regardless of their cholesterol intake. People used to break the loudest cookies without fear of the law or prohibition. In fact, that was a time when emotions were still running high during this festive season. However, a lot has changed since the last few years.
During this festive season people used to hold bhajans and kirtans at their homes, they used to pop cookies and meet their friends and family. But this scenario has changed over the years, nowadays many nuclear families prefer to go to malls and rave parties to celebrate the festive season. Also, due to strict laws, only noiseless cookies are promoted. Today, the health conscious are on the rise and everyone seems to be taking notice of what they are eating. The result is sugar-free sweets and delights. In order to curb their cholesterol levels, people are turning to baked samosas and low-oil recipes.
Traditional games like rummy have paved the way for new variants like poker. Also, instead of gold and silver items, vendors have noted that people tend to buy more high-tech things like iPods, microwaves, and televisions during these festive seasons, which explains several pre-depawali deals. However, gold and silver remain the top favourites. Nalini Mihan, a mother of two married daughters residing in Delhi, recalls that she did not have to buy any gold for her daughters’ marriage “because she used to buy coins every Diwali.”
Also very noticeable changes nowadays are different diwali games organized in various malls to keep their customers engaged. A very famous event among them is the Rangoli Making Contest. Each year these malls feature something or the other to provide “a complete family experience.” It can range from beauty treatments for women and girls, discounts in the games section for boys and girls, and special discount offers for men. No wonder these malls are laughing all the way to the bank. People have reported that during Diwali, shopping malls can be a perfect getaway. Speaking of getaways, many urban families today prefer to take a short trip that goes from several places. So instead of putting on their traditional outfits, people are giving away backpacks and casual clothes. It has been reported that there has been an increase of around 13% in international travel during Diwali over the past year.
Many things have changed both in India and abroad. The way people behave and act during the festive season may have changed, but the gist remains the same. The tradition and methodology might have seen a change, not the emotions attached to it, i.e. happiness and peace. Diwali has always been the festival of light and it will remain so even in the future.
