A grand festival, in front of my eyes for the first time...

May be I was hardly 5 or 6 years old when I saw a great festival in my hometown. It was a hot summer season. Ten hot days were frozen for the great grand festival.

I saw my relatives at my home with full of smiles in their faces and sweets in their hands, many a while. I was so happy as whoever comes in my home, lifted me in their hands, kissed me and were giving their blessings and wishes to me. They all asked about my school, somebody asked me, "who's your best friend?"... I really didn't had a friend at that time. All I could remember was augustin, and so I pronounced his name. His thought stayed not more than a minute as I was asked to do many other things like telling rhymes and to sing some movie song. Someone recorded my songs in a cassette and played it back. I went to some heights of happiness. Again I started singing with some more efforts, but this time Siva also joined me.

Siva is one of my cousin. He's just one year younger than me, so mostly our frequency matched each other's. We shared many things like our time passes, interests, hobbies, likes and dislikes. He used to tell about the pets he was/is interested in and about his day outs in his hometown. I taught him my own lovable running game and also I happily showed him how I run up and down. I remember that is the first time I met Siva. We spoke lot. Even now there is a complaint in our family that we spoke a lot to each other. We'll speak in such low voices that no one can listen or make out what are we speaking about. But I wonder even now, why did we hide ourselves as we never spoke anything other than pets or games. He had lots of friends and used to spend most of his time outside his home. I am straight opposite to him. Till today I never had day outs or friendly meet with anybody in my hometown.

Well, coming to the festival... All the ten days the festival is celebrated in the two temples placed on either side of a river, running without water in our very town. So, almost many of the families in our town used to make their presence in those temples and spend some time in that river. My mom dressed me up late in the evening as she does everyday, but I felt a bit different on the very first day of our visit to the temple. Some unknown happiness got spread over me. My mom was busy in taking some shawls for my brother, as he was too small and can't sustain the cold. This time I didn't had possessive thoughts on my mom, as I started liking my brother. His name is Anand. He was small, heavy and could speak to his level. Everybody had an eye on his cheeks and so they pinch him on times they cross him. So, we all were ready and waiting for my grandpa and my father to come home.

That day, minutes were going like hours. I sat by the window side facing the road. On every family that pass by my eyes, I ran to my mom and asked when are we going to go and see god. Mom had the same answer, "We'll go once dad come"... But every time she said that with smile. Without smiling back, I kept my way back to the window side again and again. That didn't bother me as it resembled my game of running. Instead of wall to wall, this time it's window to mom.

Finally we all started walking. My curiosity of seeing god went up and up. I, surrounded by a group of kids from our family kept ourselves in the front of the crew. Our parents followed us discussing something. I could somehow understand that they were speaking about god. I had already heard in some stories that god will pinch, if we do something wrong. I was bit scared as I used to do all kinda mischief at home. I could still remember, I asked for sorry inside me, to god, as we were nearing the temple.

The full way was colorful and filled with lots of new shops on the roadside. They were selling dolls, balloons, sweets and other stuff. There were some stage programs going on the side. Many kids were running across the road and playing. All those were very new for me, so I backed of myself and came near my parents. Also I saw siva sticked to his mom. My dad was carrying my brother and he was so happy. My eyes were wandering between the toy cars on the road side shops. I don't know why, both me and my brother have interests mostly towards car toys. I asked my mom for a toy, she in turn asked my dad. He said he'll get me one on the way back to home. All of us are here to see the god, so first we've to go to the temple. I agreed as I too had the interest on meeting god.

I was rolling my mind up and down to meet god. Finally we went into the temple and after a long queue and a heavy rush, we were in front of the god. All my expectations were ashed, when I saw nothing but a statue. That too a small statue, smaller than me. I joined my hands, closed my eyes... but I didn't pray. All I was thinking was the pooja room at my house. We had many gods, both in pictures and statues. I never had seen any rush there, only our family members used to go there and pray. We came out of the temple. I had 'viboothi' in my forehead. Me and siva took some 'viboothi' and were tasting it. I only taught him that it tastes good and he too liked it. On the way back I asked for and got a balloon. We were playing with our balloons in that waterless vaigai river. My balloon got bursted!!! I don't know why it got bursted, but I felt like crying. I came and sat near my mom, aunty and dad. My aunt asked me to tell rhymes and show my proficiency to my other relatives, but I was not in a mood.

We came back home. I forgot my balloon as I got a new toy car. I was rolling that car all over our house. I showed my new toy car to my grandpa and also told him about the balloon and god. He somehow understood my wavelength, came down to my level and was giving answers and comments for all my questions and issues. He's the best grandpa in this world.

My grandpa... writing my next blog...