Lights and Laddoos

Sanya never quite understood the fuss around Diwali. Sure, the lights were pretty, but it all seemed like a lot of noise and drama for a short-lived sparkle. When her flight landed in Delhi, she was greeted by a flurry of messages from family. Her parents, her boisterous cousins, her annoyingly sweet aunts, all planned a Diwali reunion at her uncle's cozy villa this year. Amidst hugs, sweet laddoos, and a dizzying array of colored lights, Sanya smiled and nodded. She wasn't ready for an influx of emotions and expectations. Adjusting her watch, a subtle nudge from her childhood habit of time-tracking, she remembered her own game plan: get in, survive the festival rituals, and get out. As the sun gave way to evening, the house began to swell with sound—laughter, gossip, the sizzle of pakoras. Bursting with color, the villa revealed itself full of heartfelt laughter and the scent of marigold garlands. "Feels like just yesterday you were this high!" Aunt Meera chimed, gesturing dramatically. "And you've hardly changed!" Sanya responded, her voice somewhere between sarcasm and sincerity. Watching from the patio, Sanya took in the vivacity of her younger cousins swirling sparklers, a sight that oddly made her wistful. It wasn't until Manoj, her little cousin, brought out an aged board of carrom that memories truly began to resurface. Aunt Meera, with a twinkle and a challenge in her eye, invited her for a game. Reluctantly, Sanya found herself sitting on the thick, familiar carpet once more. As the striker slid across the board, knocking the coins with satisfying precision, Sanya's competitive streak pushed through. In the playful tussles with Uncle Raj and Manoj's unending laughter every time his sister lost a turn, Sanya realized something shifted; she was part of the scene—not just an observer. Late-night conversations fueled by masala chai led to deeper talks. Her cousin, Priya, shared stories of familial struggles bridged by time, highlighting connections Sanya never imagined earnest. As the diya lit the room's aura, Sanya felt less trapped and more tethered. "It's amazing, isn't it?" Priya shared, her hand gesturing meaningfully over the air. "We grow apart, but then festivals bring us back." The big reveal came the next day. Sanya, feeling adventurous or maybe just slightly peer-pressured, decided to help set up the rangoli. As her fingers danced along the colored powders, intricate patterns caught light beneath the strings of LED, casting shadows shaped with vibrant hues. That night, wrapped in hues reflecting all around, Sanya experienced what she had often brushed off—a silent communion with every flicker and shadow. As the family gathered, watching the fireworks display crackle into life, Sanya found herself nestled among chatter, belonging. The essence of home lingered longer than the smoke trails of the last spiral cracker. As Sanya hugged her family goodbye, grasping laddoos lovingly packed by Aunt Meera, she felt clarity replace reluctance. Heading back to her flight, Sanya paused amidst the diverse triad of light, laughter, and life. For the first time, she greeted the idea of Diwali not as mere ceremony, but a celebration of connection.