Void

eight

The sun was about to set. Adira was standing near the window of her home which was on sixth floor. Her eyes were trying to look for the horizon but in a busy city, all she could see were skyscrapers. However the sky could be visible in between the tall figures. Through the happy eyes she was witnessing the sunset, it was painting the sky in the shades of red, orange and pink. Setting down of the sun is always compared with burial of dark days but Adira was of different opinion, she always associated nature's canvas with a beautiful art. Everyone saw the same art but some seemed to ignore, while others used to find them sad and boring and a few people like Adira took time to admire the art and the artist.

"Adira come here and light those diyas(lamps), please baby," Her mother asked. She was in the kitchen, putting oil in the diyas(lamps) and was dipping the cotton thread into the oil, so the diyas(lamps) could be lit. Meera, the mother was being very careful while putting the diyas in the tray after filling them with oil and accompanying with the cotton threads. She didn't want to stain her beautiful anarkali with oil spills.

Adira had not still dressed up for the diwali night. She was still wearing her jeans pairing them with a plain white t-shirt. She took the tray from her mother nicely and started putting those little earthen diyas(lamps) near the window, wall and other assigned places. She even took four diyas(lamps) to place them outside her home, near the main door. After putting them near the door, she stood and saw that the sun has already set, leaving it's colourful impression on the sheet like sky.

The artificial lights which were decorating the windows of people's house were brightly lit. The tiny LED bulbs with small rays of light would guide us in our life. One window caught her attention, the lights were flickering on it like an old reel but it was no movie hall. Everything around her was looking pretty. The atmosphere was filled with the noise of crackers and merry laugh of young kids and rowdy grown up children. She always loved Diwali, it was a festival of lights and hopes. The festival of joy and the festivity in the air was not less than an inspiration. And she, she was still standing there and absorbing the beauty and happiness in her eyes which her heart could not touch.

Finally, she turned back to the home to get a candle to light the diyas and again she came outside the house but this time only to lit the earthen diyas(lamps).

She shut the door and her mother was going through the last minute preparation like filling the silver jars with chocolates, setting a tray of different varieties of sweets in the silver bowl as well. Only on this day she would get to see two things that were the motherly nature of mother and the shinning-oxygenated silver utensils. Adira thought that Meera would miss her husband on this occasion very much as it was their favourite festival. Never they failed to celebrate it, even in UK; the foreign land to Diwali festival. Adira hadn't broke the news of the death of her father yet to her mother. She wasn't ready and prepared to say it, not just now, not so soon. She planned to do it soon but when, did not know!

Mera looked at her daughter in her eyes with a beautiful smile. "Go get dressed Adi, you don't want to get late for prayers." "Yes mum. Shall I wear the lehenga? Please,"Adi grinned. Her mother nodded in yes and the smile didn't leave Meera's beautiful face. If Meera's husband would be here, then he would just pinch his wife's cheek and nose. He liked whenever Meera smiled, a real smile indeed.

Adi did not take much time to get ready. She let her hair open. Her hair was admiring her beautiful dress. She put a minimal make up which included eyeliner and mascara. She was not looking less than an Indian princess. The lehenga fit her well. Her mother complimented too about her ethnic wearing. The pair did the rituals of diwali and enjoyed the traditional north Indian food. Meera was a master when it came to cooking traditional food. It seriously was so yummy and Adira didn't hesitate to ask for more.