Staying here in America , I realize the value of Indian festivals.....I kinda see them in a different light......back home it was always about getting chutti from school or college.....Diwali was special because Dad and Chacha would be home for 4 days and it was all about spending time together....those late afternoon lunches followed by naps.......once I came here to Akron, I hardly even realize when Diwali whizzes past......the first year I hardly remember doing anything during Diwali....then last year us roomies decided that we shall have a nice dinner at home....so we cooked up some nice food and it felt kinda good.......

another festival which is totally different here is Ganesh utsav.....back home I would be all excited about it.....days before apna galli ka public would start playing the dhol and tasha and anger the neighbors....that was so much fun.....if there was nothing to do...dhol bajane ka.....and then the dancing and the variety entertainment program........like the last two years this year too we are celebrating Ganesh utsav here at our home on Torrey Street.......its an occasion for all students to meet ......the new kids are feeling homesick and it surely makes one feel a little more at home to see Indian festivals celebrated here with quite a lot of enthusiasm.....though we don’t have the dhol and the tasha and the variety entertainment program.......but it still works.....for these few days I look at the Ganpati ka idol in our living room and close my eyes and I can hear the dhol ring in my ears.....and I have this smirk on my face imagining the irritation on the faces of my cranky neighbors back home.......as of now this is the closest I can get to bliss......