Of Diwali and Guns ....

Once the Dusshera is over, I almost have to kill time till its Diwali – one of my most favourite festivals with lots of great memories around it.

Even today I try and live Diwali almost the same way I used to enjoy in my childhood – well almost the same way I should rather say....

One of the greatest childhood fantasies was around the Diwali guns with the strips of crackers loaded on to it – well - this had to stop at a certain age more on account of social pressure than my own will to stop it!!

Every Diwali as I get into my “child zone”, I always kept missing this one piece - till one fine day a brainwave struck..... I think it was nearing Diwali time about five years back when Janhavi - my daughter – was in 2nd Standard. As Pallavi used to work on Saturday – it was a day always shared by father and daughter. Of course Pallavi had given us something to study as some stupid class Test was around. As soon as she left, we finished Janhavi’s study in about 15 minutes flat!! ... I always had a very democratic way of dealing with my daughter’s study when wife was not around – we flipped through some pages and both agreed she knew everything – as always I realized what a brilliant child I am blessed with....

“Janhavi, I have a plan for some fun”....I was scratching my head to entice my partner in crime....”Lets go and buy couple of toy guns and crackers – one for you and one for me”.....”But I don’t like guns much – lets go and buy something else”.....”Hmmm...well sweetheart.. we’ll build a story around it”.....”You mean like a movie??”...asked the veteran 7 year old movie buff...”Of course!!”....”Wow....amazing...sounds like a plan!!! Lets go”......

Just went out and bought a couple of really mean-looking ones....what an amazing act of indifference I had to put on at the shop, while purchasing those guns lest the shopkeeper should feel I am NUTS!..... Could hardly wait to come home.....As soon as we were back, I loaded both the guns with the cracker strips...”well ... lets start” .....taking position behind the staircase in the house – I fired the first volley almost delirious with joy!.........”WAIT!...you said we’ll do like a movie!!”, Janhavi yelled tightly covering her ears....”Yes...so I’ll be the dacoit”....I offered half graciously...half puzzled! “Not like this...where is the story?” “WHAT story??” I asked coming out of my hideout...”Well you sit here..I’ll make one”...”OK” I sat down on the sofa resigning to the situation.....Next 15 – 20 minutes she just moved tables and chairs to create a set as if competing with Nitin Desai! Sitting idle I just fired another round of gunshots in the air only to be snubbed and asked to be quiet for some time.....then came a script..........GOSH!..with clear instructions about where she will come from.. what will she say and when exactly is my turn to say my piece.....as I obediently took my position I fired another round of shots...”Can we do something about that?”....my director asked pointing towards the gun ....”WHAT?”....”That thing just makes a crazy noise!” she continued to my utter dismay ”Can we just take out those stupid cracker strips and play our movie?”...Resigned to my fate, I threw away the cracker strip from my gun and went through playing my part so energetically that even Bharat Bhushan (god bless his soul) would have looked dashing and dynamic!!!

With one brilliant idea nipped in the bud that time, I am waiting for my chance again now as Diwali approaches

Chinmay – my son – the younger of my children is growing now......well I am waiting again for a Diwali....now-a-days they make such fantastic pieces....I have already spotted couple of sleek Diwali guns.....really sleek you know..........