This Marigold Blouse
Standing in the air of Hemant Ritu reminds me of doing so some years ago as a small girl, creating flames with Ajji on the auspicious day of Diwali. Though the memory is welcoming, a warming hug during this cooling month, I am somewhat saddened reflecting on the length of time that has passed since then, and in realising my age, the thought of my last Diwali in our home if I am soon to be married. These thoughts, to my relief, escape me quickly, as I hear the neighbours talk of the abundance of the blessings of Lakshmi to befall the houses alight with divas and draped in marigold garlands, swept and arranged tidily, aligning the energies she would desire to dwell in. The beauty of such preparations is unquestionable, and as I fill the divas by the entrance of our home with oil, I cannot part my gaze from the dancing flame rising and falling as steadily as the chest of someone deep in sleep. It is clear to me that such beauty possessed by the natural gifts of the gods is the only worthy way of inviting them into our homes.
