I still remember with amusement, that small school girl of
yesteryears who desperately wanted to accompany her parents for a much longed
for ‘town trip’ and hence risked lying to them that it was a school holiday for
the Karthika festival. It was another matter
that her lie was discovered promptly by a quirk chance of ill luck and due
punishments doled out… I was that 8-year
old girl and what makes it so very embarrassing is that even today, after about
thirty years or so, I am still ragged mercilessly for that one stray incident!
Even otherwise, the festival of Karthika is something that I
truly bond with, not because of any religious sentiment, but due to the fact
that it is also considered to be a festival of lamps. In fact, it was only
recently that I bothered to find out that Karthika which falls on the Malayalam
month of ‘vrischikam’, is in commemoration of the birthday of Lord Murugan or
Karthikeyan.
Pure, mesmerizing magic! That’s the only way I can describe
the atmosphere created on a Thrikarthika day! The soft golden glow emitting
from the tiny flicker of dozens of clay lamps (chirathu) lit during dusk at the front
entrance of the house is indeed an enthralling experience and rather humbling
too in a way, and what makes it special for me is that it gives a sense of
peace and harmony which is hard to define. Perhaps it’s a rare moment when I am
able to connect with my inner soul…
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