Shaurya's Chronicles

Shaurya enjoys his 'Holi' day!!!

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Well I know its a little late to be writing about Holi - the festival of colors and I do realize that I am not really posting as much as I resolved to at the beginning of the year but these have been testing times. My job has been keeping me real busy and if that was not enough I had to keep up with household chores, courtesy my 'Forever Late' domestic help.

Anyway, talking about Holi, I never had any aversions about playing with colors or getting myself wet on Holi but I was sceptical about it this year since I did not know how Shaurya would react to all the hullabaloo and the fervor that is normally associated with Holi. Now that he has started understanding and demanding things and attempts to communicate his likes and dislikes, I wanted him to enjoy the festival like we used to when we were kids.

Shaurya's dad is not very fond of either Holi or the 'Hangama' associated with the festival and I was also anxious to see how Shaurya takes to the colors and if he actually follows my heart or imbibes his dad on this trait.  

Well, to my surprise and delight my little champ did play Holi with all the enthusiasm he could show. He liked being around colors and wanted more and more of them on him (unlike his dad). I had a feeling that he would not be totally reluctant to it but never thought that he would be so willing to play with colors and water.

Holi At School - A Day Before: Shaurya's play-school 'The Circle' had organized celebrations of ‘Holi’ for the children. The scheme of things included playing with flowers and getting a ‘tilak’ of color, but Shaurya somehow got hold of the ‘Thaali’ of colors and started putting the 'Gulaal' on himself. His teachers came forward to stop him, but he just had a big ‘NO’ to keep them away. He kept on putting more and more of the 'Gulaal' all over his head, face, arms and clothes and kept smiling and laughing all the way.

I had to literally drag him back to get him home to give him a shower. Now, I have already mentioned in an earlier post how Shaurya loves to be in water and enjoys his daily baths. So, playing 'Holi' in the school had an added advantage of getting that extra bath, not to mention all the fun he had while playing with colors.

The Oily 'Holi' Day: Well, on the day of ‘Holi’, we tried to stay indoors, as no one at home was willing to use colors (except me) and so we kept sitting in the balcony looking at the people in the street and the park overlooking the house, waiting for some one to come and play holi with us.

It was nice bright and sunny morning with gentle breeze and Shaurya was enjoying all the sunshine. And then something went through his mind and he got up and brought me his bottle of oil and started taking off his clothes, indicating that he wanted to get a massage. I was quite surprised at his behaviour, but gave him a nice massage and he kept moving his arms, back and legs in a manner, as if guiding me to do it properly. I took out his splash pool and let him have a nice time playing and lazing around in the water for a long time.  

As I sat there watching him enjoy the sunshine and play with water, I realized that the true essence of life and happiness lies in the careless indulgence in little joys of life that we in the natural process of growing up abandon at some point in time.

I was mesmerized at the sheer joy reflected on Shaurya's face and for once longed to be a kid again. For the records, I captured the moment (the picture above) and saved it forever on my mind.

Happy Holi, Son.

Delhi Diwali !!

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Diwali, the festival of lights was much awaited this time. Mainly, because it was our first Diwali at Delhi in our new house and personally I was all the more eager to see Shaurya's behaviour and reactions to all the resplendence and bangs. No doubt, he was celebrating his second Diwali but it was a lot different from the last year because this time around he has learnt on how to walk around and run after things. He has also learnt about how to admire things and is beginning to show his liking and disliking and is upto a new trick every day.

At times when I sit back and look into the past and think about how festivals and their meanings have changed and mutated over the years, it almost seems unreal. No doubt as a person gains years, his outlook and his way of appreciating things is altered but now I guess, we are living in a different age altogether. These are the times when mothers are apprehensive about their children playing in the street and where children display more excitement looking at their gaming consoles than being out in the sun and running around. Festivals have generally lost their sheen and somehow the wonderment that a 'Phul-Jhadi' used to cause 10 years ago is missing in children today.

However, I feel Shaurya is still at an age where everything is wonderful to look at and little things tend to become a marvel for all five senses. I so wish at times, that grown ups could retain that sense of amazement and wonder in these little joys of life.

And as it had to be, my little Shaurya could just not contain himself at all the grandeur and paraphernalia of the festival season. He would stand for hours in the balcony to see the lit up homes in the neighbourhood and wonder at all the magnificence that Diwali brings along.

Everytime that he was shut indoors, he would cry and howl to go out and spend his own good time, looking around. Even in the car, he would have his finger pointed at things and lights in the vicinity. His mouth would drop open and he would clap endlessly at the sight of any brightly lit shop in the markets or even houses for that matter...

During all these days balcony became Shaurya's favorite spot. His Chachu would often be by his side basically, out of concern that Shaurya might get scared and start crying owing to the loud noise that certain crackers made.

But to our amazement and delight, he did nothing like that and tried his best to catch a glimpse of every cracker that burst. Often a sudden loud boom of a firecracker would even make me jump out of my skin but my little hero, opened his eyes wide and laughed and clapped, as if it was something very amusing.. I was a little taken aback at the way he was expressing his excitement. He clapped and giggled in his Chachu's arms, and kept waiting for another 'Bang' to happen..

It was wonderful to see my baby dance and clap to the tune of crackers and lights and I guess his laughter and joy made this Diwali all the more memorable for me. I feel that no one is actually able to recall the details of all the festivals one celebrates in his lifetime and one can only faintly remember the happiness associated with a celebration or a festivity. I guess I for sure would remember and distinguish this one particular day simply because of Shaurya's relentless clapping and laughter.

Thank you my son, for all the happiness you have brought my way. It is through you that I could experience and see all those little joys in the lights and crackers and felt like a child all over again.

True, isn't it "With a child, a mother is also born....."