MISSION LOHRI!!!

Life is strange!!! Even though life is meant to be lived in the present moment, reminiscences from the past keep knocking at our door. And today the memories have once again tapped at my memories door on the happy occasion of Lohri festival.

For us, a bunch of few families in that Doctor’s colony in the small town named Naya Nangal,Punjab, the festival meant a grand celebration.. It meant a lot of hard work especially by the kids. For the kids it was a long hectic day. It started with collecting money/’Lohri’ by singing the jingle ‘Lohri do vi Lohri jive tuhadi Jorhi” in everyone’s home. It was binding for everyone to  pool in money for gifts and eatables for the evening ceremony...

I vividly remember the good old days when we used to go to the nearby forest/jungle to gather or rather sometimes to steal logs of wood for the bonfire. I lucidly remember one incident when we were trying to steal logs of wood from a nearby forest and the Sadhu to whom the logs belonged spotted us. In a very dramatic turn of events he scared us by pointing his ‘TRISHOOL’ at us. We literally ran for our lives.. As if his ‘Trishool’ was really going to hit us!!! I can still feel the thrill of running in that jungle!!!!

The evening started with assembling 2-3 chairs each from every house, which was to be arranged around the bonfire. It was followed by tossing moongfali (peanut), til, gachchak, rewari, popcorns, etc  on the bonfire. The game of musical chairs was the most awaited event in which everyone, from the kids, to the dads and to the moms was supposed to participate with full enthusiasm. The respective winner was presented with a gift which was nicely wrapped by us!!! I remember one particular incident where my dad pulled away a chair and my friend’s father fell on the ground!!! But off course everything was fair in the festive mood... J Singing and dancing continued till the midnight hour, paving the way for a successful completion of Misssion Lohri!!!

One thing I really miss about my childhood is the significance of small celebrations or events and the thrill associated with the same..There in something in your childhood which always keep you on your toes?  There is  a sense of excitement for the little things in life.. Every day is a new discovery!!!
 Presently, these memories might appear as a thing of a distant past, but the happiness associated with these childhood memories can’t be whisked away so easily....

 MY HEARTIEST WISHES

 TO ALL THE DEAR ONES...!!!