Hello fellow poets!

Welcome to the Diwali edition of Poetics this Tuesday.

As you all read this, I am lying in bed exhausted but satisfied. Diwali deep cleaning can do that. For years and years, in most Indian households, it has been a ritual to clean the home before Diwali. Yes, we do spring cleaning in autumn! Each nook and corner is dusted, all expensive crockery lying unused in sideboards is taken out, washed and rinsed, then put back. Each cupboard is emptied, then clothes neatly restacked. I still remember the mixed fragrance of Brasso( cleaner for brass/silver/copper items) and the floor cleaner. You get the drift… This cleaning before Diwali is a muscle memory that kicks in as soon as Dusshera is over (20 days before Diwali). Though, to tell you the truth these days I am like this 👇🏼

Dust If You Must

            by Rose Milligan

“Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better

To paint a picture, or write a letter,

Bake a cake, or plant a seed;

Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,

With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;

Music to hear, books to read;

Friends to cherish, and life to lead”

Our moms not only fanatically scoured and cleaned involving all the kids at home, but were also experts at cooking mithai (sweets/confection) at home. I still remember the heavenly aroma of wheat flour/chickpea flour roasted in ghee (clarified butter) and the innumerable sweets made at home. This mithai would be shared with family, friends, neighbours, house-helps and visitors. For almost entire week food to satiate stomach and soul was cooked. So every year during Diwali I forget all that I read about the harmful effects of sugar and buy all the mithai {I don’t make it at home} I like, to celebrate the spirit of abundance. And yes, on Diwali I stick to desi (native) sweets.

Yummy Indian Desserts

                             by Wordbug

“Grated carrot, sweet delight

Aromatic ghee, cashew sauteed light

Just imagine a touch of milk and sugar

And maybe a little water

Red, tempting dessert is ready to serve”

Another tradition that I have continued is making sure my children wear new clothes on Diwali. When I was a kid, those days were of frugality, hand me downs and not of indiscriminate shopping. My mom was an excellent seamstress and would sew something new for all of us. Sometimes there were tantrums when she would buy yards of same pattern because it was cheaper and we would all be dressed identically!

New Clothes

by Julia Alvarez

“I remember the whirr and whine of her black Singer

the gold traceries on cast iron rod

by the wheel that lifted and lowered the needle.

Threading the levers, eyepieces, winding the turquoise string

through hooks, around minuscule wheels, up and down“

All the homes look so pretty adorned with marigold flowers, diyas/earthen lamps, candles and rangoli/colourful floor decorations. Though I am not into any religious rituals but a havan/homa/offerings consecrated to fire, followed by lighting diyas at sundown with the entire family and later a sumptuous home cooked meal, is a tradition I follow.

Diwali is not just about cleaning, cooking, gifting, rituals or eating. It is much more than that. It is a time to celebrate generosity, to welcome home joy, to let go of sorrow and a time to renew and rejuvenate. But best of all, it reminds us to be grateful for the goodness that still survives despite the darkness.

The value of little things

by William Cutter

Doth not each rain-drop help to form

The cool refreshing shower?

And every ray of light to warm

And beautify the flower?”

The Challenge

So, for the poetics challenge today I give you a sort of carte blanche. You could write about cleaning, cooking your favourite dish, the joy of giving or how you celebrate your favourite festival. Since Diwali falls a day after Halloween, I expect lots ghouls, goblins and candy galore peppering some poems. I am really  looking forward to a smorgasbord of poems to sample and satiate my soul.

For those who are new to dVerse:

1. Write a poem in any form or style on the above challenge on your blog.
2. Link back your post to this post.
3. Please leave a link of your post at Mr. Linky so that other poets can read your verse.
4. Mr. Linky will remain open till 2.00 p.m of 31st October.
5. Make sure to come back and read and comment on other entries. Interacting with other poets is the best part of this platform.

Happy writing and Happy Diwali and have a great Halloween!