An unusual Diwali

There was a time when Diwali among kids in our family was synonymous with crackers, new dresses and home made gourmet delicacies. Preparations would begin a week earlier soon after the memories of Durga Puja would start fading away from our minds. My sister and me, finding a good reason to bunk studies, would start shopping for dresses and crackers and soon would be joined by super enthusiastic cousins thus doubling the fun!! The festive atmosphere brought along with it a feeling of closeness and belonging in our family and Diwali eve was celebrated with much pomp, show and merriment.
This year, I expected Diwali to be a demure one. Yes of course, since I was more than a 1000 Kilometres away from my home but also to add to my woes, I had just come back from a long holiday in my hometown, which had duly resulted in tons of work piling up. But as usual, all these didn’t prove to be a stimulus strong enough to make me work in the Diwali weekend. Instead, I was over enthused to celebrate Diwali in a gaudy way.
To make it a success, I called up my friends to plan. But, believe it or not, my cricket loving friends had planned to watch the T20 Champions League match live on Diwali eve!!! By default I was included (the tickets were already bought too) and then there was no “ctrl+Z” to the plan allowed here!!! One can definitely imagine my miserable state knowing how much I hated Cricket and the fact that I knew so little about any other player other than India’s top favourite ones who are better known for their endorsements. Thus unable to restructure any part of the plan, I joined the merry group on Diwali eve, to watch the live match at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.
The crowd inside the stadium was enormous and soon after verifying that the teams playing were Bangalore Royal Challengers and Delhi Dare Devils, I made myself comfortable at my seat. To our convenience, the seats were close to the ground and we could get a clear view of the players. Slowly as the game progressed, the surrounding became livelier with people cheering continuously and fireworks emerging from every side of the stadium roof illuminating the sky on completion of an over. Even though I couldn’t catch up on every detail of the match, I cheered with my friends on every six or four. Our voices had become hoarse with shouting. Soon I was immersed in a merriment I had never imagined myself to be in. It was really a feast to the eyes watching the colourful crowd, the well coordinated and beautiful cheerleaders, and the amazing panorama of the zillion sparks sent up to the sky by the fireworks. Really the spectacle was worth in a Diwali night!!
The night ended with Bangalore Royal Challengers winning over Delhi Dare Devils which increased the mirth and gaiety of the crowd. More fireworks engulfed the sky and trumpets were blown as people madly enjoyed the win. After we returned home overtly exhausted and happy, I felt really grateful to my friends and owed this awesome and breathtaking Diwali celebration to them who despite my repeated nagging had the patience to bear with me and cajole me into spending the Diwali eve this “unusual” way.