My sister and I returned home from school that day with our grades, excited to show our mother while she sat sipping on her nimbu paani in the jaali kamra. Sensing our hullabaloo she asked us how our day had been. At once, we spilt the beans about our marks and she congratulated us about it. Seeing her happiness, I proceeded to tell her that the teacher had marked one of my answers incorrect despite having written the correct answer.
Now she was concerned and wanted to see my answer sheet. Taking out the answer sheet from my bag, I flipped through the pages and pointed out the teacher’s blunder, seeking justice from the judge, my mother. The question was “During which festival is the effigy of Raavana lighted?”. I thought that the obvious answer was “Diwali” but was stunned to find that even my mother said that this was indeed incorrect. Alas! The judge ruled in favour of my teacher.
Upset by this ruling, I objected and presented my argument that every year during the Diwali celebration in our club, my friends and I enjoy the fireworks, games and sweets while the uncles and aunties sit around the table for their never-ending card sessions. The attraction of these dreary card sessions is beyond my grasp but perhaps their deep involvement there is why they miss out the exciting event of burning the Raavana effigy on Diwali each and every year.
Now my mother laughed and explained to me that the effigy of Raavana is actually lighted during Dusshera as this festival symbolizes the destruction of the ten vices within us. As for the celebrations in the ‘Planters’ Club’, Dusshera and Diwali are combined together, hence the confusion. I held my head thinking that Thank goodness, my misconception has been cleared. Although the effigy continues to be lighted during the Diwali celebrations in the Planters’ Club, I know now that this is merely a planters’ ‘jugaad’.