This is time of the year which is called festival season in India. It will go on till Diwali. This year Ramadan too is at the same time. This is the time to feast, dress up and shop till you drop.
Our autumn break starts with the onset of the Navratris (Nine nights) prior to Vijaydashami or Dusshera. Each day of the navratris, Goddess Durga is worshipped in one of her numerous manifestations who is trying to save the world by fighting with Mahisasur (a demon in the form of a buffalo). Finally Goddess vanquishes the demon wchich culminates in Vijayadashami. On the other hand, the battle between Rama and Ravana is played out and Rama kills Ravana. Various ways of celebrations in various parts of India. But each one has the same message. Goodness winning over evil. But that only happens in mythological stories. In real life, I always see evil winning over goodness.
But that's not what I am trying to say. I am kind of cynical but I get caught up in all this. Somehow I am drawn into it. Despite vowing that I will not be a part of all this, I end up a sucker for all this. When my friends come calling, I go out with them without as much a protest.
Seems like my cynicism is a smokescreen!!!
(to be cont)
Hmmmmm, 'tis also festival season in my part of Virginia when every civic group, church group, chamber of commerce and group of any other ilk holds fall festivals in the time-honored tradition of getting anyone at all to come by and spend some money before they engage in commercialized holidat spending.
ReplyDeleteI've been bombarded with groups wanting their festival announcement in the newspaper, but I've managed to avoid actually attending any of them.
May my cynicism serve as a beacon to relight your own cynicism >B^D>
Someone is always trying to sell us something. It may be an idea or a T Shirt but it all boils down to making money for somebody.
ReplyDeleteLike Chrizzzmazzz most people enjoy HOLY Days because they get a few days off to overeat, overdrink, layaround and visit old friends. The origins or 'message' behind the HOLY days is drowned out in a sea of cash registers 'ring ring ringing' KACHING!
"cynacism in a smokescreen" Love it!!
ReplyDeleteholidays here only last a day or two, so it's no big deal really except for that christmas/new year frenzy which starts (for some, anyway) mid-november and lasts till january. i find the whole thing annoying rather than drawn to it, but... the whole thing sucks you in...
ReplyDeleteYou sure are going to be busy! :)
ReplyDeleteGautami! I just LOVE this festive season. Mind you, I wasn't so into it when I lived in India, but one good thing about moving away from India is it has made me more Indian than I would ever dare to believe!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you get caught up in it - even if it's against your will! :) Go on, enjoy the festivities and have a good time; post pictures if you can!
Have a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteevil cannot be winning over good--but aren't we in the time where it looks that way but it wont really turn out that way? I mean I am not up to date and I am working on the Gita --tell me more. I do not know so much about Durga.
ReplyDeleteI know this feeling. You want to resist something and then cannot help giving in. You've expressed it so nicely!
ReplyDeleteAh, cynicism, one of my better disguises! I try to wear my sucker suit as little as possible (that is who I really am).
ReplyDeleteOne day I am going to live in India.
ReplyDeletefrontier editor: That is great help! Thanks for passing on your cynicism to me. I do need it sorely.
ReplyDeleteghost particle: waiting, waiting.
homo escapeons: there is this media circus and consumerisn which is at its best. It just sucks us in no matter how hard we resist.
pat paulk: thanks!
polona: tha's exactly what I meant. Despite my best efforts not to, I give in.
ReplyDeletej.andrew lochart: I was, I was!
lotus: I used to love it. Now I don't. Too crowded. Madness everywhere and no one is aware what he/she is doing.
enemy of the republic: You are welcome. It has to many things to offer.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived near my Indian friends I dreaded this time of year because when you went visiting, they gave you these bizarre sweets (I'll have to ask Mrs S. what they are called) which were essentially sugar wrapped in puff pastry. They were stale approximately four and half minutes after being made. Perhaps that was just a Gujerati thing. I am also too old and fat to do the dancing now.
ReplyDeleteIn the UK we have adopted the American festival of hallowe'en. That is the day of the year when I send my in-laws out to scare the local kids.
Vicus,
ReplyDeleteIf you'll handle the Halloween festivities over there, I'll take care of Guy Fawkes Night over here. I'll burn one of more of the Supreme Court justices in effigy for NOT putting several hogsheads of explosives under the Bush campaign headquarters on Election Night 2000.
By the way Gautami, in the words of the semi-forgettable Olivia Newton-John: "Let's get cynical, cynical - I wanna get cynicalllllll - Let me hear your cynictalk, your cynictalk - Let me hear your cynic talk"