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Celebrations


  • This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 16; the sixteenth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.





    Chandrabhanu was the son of a marine officer staying in the apartments. Deepavali for him meant a great deal, the biggest and greatest festival. Ofcourse everything translated to the season of splurging, shopping clothes, food, parties, sweetmeats and loads of crackers.

    Jayadeva or jappi stayed along with his granny at the thatched make-shift roofing shelter just behind the apartments.  Granny was his only living relative. She was an old withered woman who wasn’t suitable for the labour work. She’d find some odd jobs of cleaning at functions and parties that helped them earn a living; Otherwise water was their regular bread and butter with a meal or two in few weeks.To use the term Poverty or Below Poverty will be to describe riches in comparison to Jappi’s life

    Deepavali meant a great deal to Jappi too. It was celebration time.
    Celebration is a relative term, contextual to be precise. For Chandrabhanu it meant exuberance and riches beyond measure. Mouth watering delicacies, exotic food and party at a pricey restaurant and high priced clothes to match the ambience. Not to forget, the best of the best crackers.

    On the other hand, for Jappi, celebration meant expectation. Expectation, to put a temporary pause to ever lasting hunger. Expectation-not about the taste of food but about tasting the food, the leftovers. To feast on the leftovers and remnants(after the party), either handed to them by the rich or at times, even the food thrown out of the high windows of  multi-storeyed mammoth apartments. The expectation- not to choose and buy classy clothes, but to wear clothes that are not torn from a hundred corners. They may be used or cheap quality new clothes, thanks to mercy of the likes of Chandrabhanu’s parents who donate on the eve of the festival. The expectation – not to burn the crackers but to watch them burst and then scavenge the paper pieces for the unburnt or failed crackers . To pick them and try to burn them when the rich are dozing off, to save his embarrassment of not being able to buy his own.

    Jappi's is a true story from my childhood. There are hundreds of such children who taste food only during Festivals, millions who do not have clothes. This festival lets pledge to celebrate along with Jappi and his likes. Think twice (before splurging and wasting), that we can help them have a memorable festival by spending a little less on ourselves and share the resrt with them. This Deepavali, let us bring light and happiness to these poor people and be a part of their CELEBRATIONS. This Deepavali lets share some light to make lives.

    Happy Deepavali        



    The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

      Comments

      Good message sent out.
      Anonymous said…
      Indeed. And lets not limit our charity to festivals...
      MuddassirShah said…
      @lost in thoughts,

      Thanks much
      MuddassirShah said…
      @Anonymous,

      Yes, lets not limit our charity to festivals but use it an occassion to go out for charity on a large scale :)
      Jaspreet said…
      A post with a message is something that always stands out.
      A wonderful take on the prompt Muddasir-your words will keep ringing in the reader's head for a long time.Nice,strong post.
      All the best! :)
      Brijender Singh said…
      Very well conveyed-reminded me of that old song, "One man's ceiling is another man's floor".
      Charity begins at home and if anything, i am sure your words will inspire many among us to go for it.
      Saro said…
      Good job.. i do believe that that is a true celebration! everything else seems so shallow in comparison.
      MuddassirShah said…
      @Jaspreet,
      I am really really glad and I hope my words help us bring about a change.

      :):)

      @Saro,
      Thanks bud
      MuddassirShah said…
      @Brij,

      I remember that song.
      Thanks for bringing back good old memories.

      Lets all hope to bring about a change :)
      wonderful line ''Celebration is a relative term, contextual to be precise''.EXPECTATION word made me sad here .really its very sad that people celebrate diwali on mercy of leftovers,thrown food and poor kids try to burn the unburnt crackers.Very thought provoking post and I feel like donating to those below...under poverty line.thanks for sharing this aspect of celebration.
      Shruti said…
      Seriously I had such thoughts while writing! But later wrote a different thing since, I couldn't pen my thougts!
      Amity said…
      Happy Depavali...:-) Happy Diwali...:-) Is there a difference?

      Now I am learning much about this pompous occasion in your country, thanks for sharing... ;-)

      And it is like New Year's in our country!

      All the best for BAT 16!
      MuddassirShah said…
      @shruthi,
      believe me, whatever you have written in simply awesome :)
      MuddassirShah said…
      Doctor ji,
      THanks for fropping by. Yes we have to do something for these people. let's try and do something for these people
      MuddassirShah said…
      @amity,
      Diwali and Deepavali are one and the same.

      We are a land of many many vernacular languages. In south it is more familiar as Deepavali and in north they call it Diwali, one and the same. The festival of lights !!

      Happy Deepavali to you too :)
      Alka Gurha said…
      Hi I absolutely agree.Nice post.
      I am new on the blogging scene. Have just moved in Gurgaon from Blore (6yrs). It Blore which introduced me to writing.
      MuddassirShah said…
      Alka,
      Thanks for dropping by.
      and welcome to Bangalore and Blogosphere.

      Looking forward to read a lot more from your end.
      Cheers!!
      That's me said…
      Nice to see another interpretation of the word 'celebrations'. It is amazing to see people splurge money on brands but will not spare a ten rupee note to drop at the counter for charity. Good post!
      MuddassirShah said…
      @Thatsme,

      Thanks for dropping by bud.
      It means a great deal :)
      Anonymous said…
      Happy Diwali... let's spread the charity.. let's not bind it to the festivals...


      my post on blogaton had an error... it was linking to an arbitrary old post because of an appeneded erratic T.
      http://foolwise.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/celebrations/
      This is the actual link.
      MuddassirShah said…
      The Foolwise dude,
      I have already read your post about K'naan :)
      It is really good.
      Good luck with the contest to you
      Siddhesh Kabe said…
      Lovely message on the post. :)
      Cherry Blossom said…
      Out of so many interpretations on festivals, this story brings out the message that pain is destiny for those outcast kids with no fault of their own. They share equal rights to celebrate like any other kid, or individual. The only way to help them is by sharing our happiness a little, if not much.The true essence of celebration lies in celebrating mankind. Thank you so much for conveying this truthful and needful message.
      MuddassirShah said…
      @ravan sid,
      THanks for dropping by brother :)

      @Cherry,
      You hit the bull's eye dear.
      Yes that is what I wanted to convey.
      :)
      Anonymous said…
      I like when bloggers write something which conveys a social message. Nice post and thanks for your comment on my post.
      Good luck !
      ''Celebration is a relative term, contextual to be precise'

      Saved in my quote book ;)
      MuddassirShah said…
      Tikuli,

      Am already feeling elated that I will be quoted;)
      Thanks for dropping by and arent you participating in BLOGESHWAR this time around?
      Anonymous said…
      Great Post and Good Social Message sent out!
      MuddassirShah said…
      Thanks Sayed Bhai,
      THanks for dropping by and reading my posts.
      It means a lot to me :)
      Vinay Leo R. said…
      nice message sent out after Diwali, Mudassir.. well done.!
      MuddassirShah said…
      hey Leo,
      Long time how are you doing?
      Yamini Meduri said…
      nice post so far :)

      good one dear :)...all thanks to BAT coz of which I read you today :) wonderful post :)
      MuddassirShah said…
      THanks Ms Meduri
      and good luck to you too.
      I am not much into competition for the contest, but I write to get feedback from some pros like you :)
      Srikanth said…
      Your post is simple, straight and conveyed the right message..
      MuddassirShah said…
      Mercii Srikanth :):)
      Anonymous said…
      Celebrations with strong message in simple words ! I liked your take and the way of imparting the message and silently waking us to be grateful for what we are blessed with and helping others seek that happiness to ! :)

      All the best for BAT ! :)
      MuddassirShah said…
      Arti,
      Thanks a lot.
      thanks for looking into the subtlety of the post.

      Good luck to you too :)
      MAVERICK said…
      Indeed, sharing your joy and sheltering others in grief, is the best way to celebrate the biggest festival of all 'Life'.
      No matter how much you spend, no matter how much you show, the greatest display of wealth and power remains in how many a faces, you can bring smile on.
      Great story and a moving one as well.
      All the best
      This was wonderful take Muddassir.. I am totaly impressed..

      Good luck for BAT and do stop by, Someone Is Special - Celebrations

      --Someone Is Special--
      MuddassirShah said…
      Hey S.I.S,
      THnaks for dropping by.
      I loved your entry for the contest.
      Good luckot you too :)
      swayambhu said…
      hey thats a really really nice post...ATB!
      sarah said…
      A very heart warming post :(
      u r magical with words...touched me soo much.
      PS- i read many posts written for d contest and most of them r centered around diwali somehow..why so?
      (although i realize its stupid of me to ask u this, how will u knw d answer..? lol)
      Vikas Khair said…
      Muddassir Bhai wah wah kya post hai .. wonderful comparison between stark contrast of our civilization .. coz this is not only the story on India .. Name of people and festivals change but human habits remain. .. Let's hope that may be someday in our own time we get to see a world where everybody go to sleep with full stomach.

      All the Best for BAT-16

      Vikas Khair - Celebrations
      MuddassirShah said…
      @Sarah,
      That is because , on the eve of deepavali, the topic was chosen as celebrations :)
      MuddassirShah said…
      @Swayambhu,
      Thanks for dropping by

      @VIkash,
      Your entry is equally good :)
      magiceye said…
      well said
      sarah said…
      LOL...very smart of u! that was supposed to b my question 'that y have most of the people written talking diwali in d backdrop just coz the topic was chosen on the eve of diwali'? celebration could have meant tens of other festivals or occasions na?
      PS- i still know that u don't know ;)
      sarah said…
      LOL...very smart of u! that was supposed to b my question 'that y have most of the people written talking diwali in d backdrop just coz the topic was chosen on the eve of diwali'? celebration could have meant tens of other festivals or occasions na?
      PS- i still know that u don't know ;)
      sarah said…
      LOL...very smart of u! that was supposed to b my question 'that y have most of the people written talking diwali in d backdrop just coz the topic was chosen on the eve of diwali'? celebration could have meant tens of other festivals or occasions na?
      PS- i still know that u don't know ;)
      sarah said…
      LOL...very smart of u! that was supposed to b my question 'that y have most of the people written talking diwali in d backdrop just coz the topic was chosen on the eve of diwali'? celebration could have meant tens of other festivals or occasions na?
      PS- i still know that u don't know ;)
      sarah said…
      ok! i have unintentionally spammed ur post....the author kindly do the needful. sorry! :P
      MuddassirShah said…
      That is perfectly alright.
      No need to be sorry :)
      Awesome message for the festive season. Very true and relevant.
      all the best.
      MuddassirShah said…
      Thanks parul wish u the same :)
      Yeah :) You were right... we've got almost the same idea running in our posts.

      Everything you say is so true.

      I really hope we get into action mode. Vaise, I do see the awareness spreading through. People are becoming more sensitive, I feel.
      MuddassirShah said…
      @kshitij,
      yeah, the awareness is growing and that is a very very good sign :)

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