9^th of November, 2007 is a day I still cherish: the day I celebrated Diwali for the last time back home, before coming over to Oklahoma. Just as yours faithfully took this direction toward the west, so has the style of his Diwali celebrations!

This piece is a product of the thoughts that arise when I remember that November day of 2007 vis-à-vis whichever October day of 2009, the desi cowboys conveniently decide to celebrate Diwali!

It was the only day in 2007 when I slept at 2am & woke up at 4am, bubbling with enthusiasm of all kinds. This year, I won’t be surprised if I stay awake the entire night (assignments would be due the next day or the next week).

Then, all my breakfast, lunch & dinner was the hot vada cooked in oil, complete with mouth-watering chutney. This year, my microwave should be taking the honour of heating the already-cooked frozen vada. Probably, I should be trying a new combination with cheese & lettuce dressed with some ranch.

In 2007, I had the opportunity to have a glimpse of some of my cousins & niece wearing the traditional Pattu Paavadai (one of the traditional dresses of little girls of Southern India); they would be running behind my mom saying, “Athai, indha Rava laddu romba Nanna irukku, nekku unnonu kuden.”  (My aunt, this sweet tastes really good; please give me one more).This year, when I talk about Pattu Paavadai, I’m expecting somebody would say, “Is that an Indian curry? Would it be a spicy one? If so, where can I get it when I go to India?”

Back home, I make it a point to catch the first-day & first-show of one of the most hyped movies every Diwali, screened in a theater equipped with Digital Dolby & Six track DTS amidst lots of lottery tickets, whistles & thousands of screaming fans. This year, I should be catching up with the trailer of these movies on youtube in my 75sqft bedroom.

Couple of years back, I had burst dozens of Akash Maalika - an aerial sparkler, which shoots flaming colorful balls, hanging like garland with two parachutes at its periphery and generating more than 100 decibels. This year, I should feel complacent if I could amuse myself with some animated fireworks on 123greetings.com.

It should be really awesome if all our religious heads gather together and announce a cloned Diwali sometime between December & January so that some of us can catch up with desi-style Diwali at least once in 2 years.

Cheers!

 Balaji Ramanujakannan

Masters- Mechanical Engineering