As a child, I often kept wondering why people burst crackers as I disliked the noise it created. Not only me, but the dogs in our family too disliked them. They used to run and hide under the sofa or under the bed and we had to cox them out from their hiding place and console them as we found them trembling uncontrollably. so, that made the few of us which made us scowl and fear at the mere thought of crackers. To the rest of the world, fireworks and crackers are an indispensable part of celebrations. In India, people always make a go for crackers and fireworks specially during Durga Puja and Diwali besides other celebrations ranging from winning the World Cup Cricket... to our Govt. agreeing to meet the demands of some protesters... to weddings or... any other form of celebrations and festivities. And as I said before, Diwali and Durga Puja is the time when the display of fireworks and bursting of crakers are at its highest point in India. I used to wonder why can't there be celebrations without the crackers? Lights and fireworks are wonderful but crakers....Ummmpphh!!
Life's journey continued and during the journey, most have been happy times but yes, there were also instances when my heart bled. During the happy times, life breeze like a breadth of fresh air and is filled with all the beauty and charm of the display of fireworks. But then, when you got a bleeding heart, it was like the frightening sound of the crackers which I used to dislike all the time. And when people set fire on crackers, the sounds of my sad bursting heart resonated with those of the crackers which are sounds of joy for others. I kept listening to those deafening sounds and it seemed as if I am setting free the trapped sounds of my bursting heart from within myself. What used to be frightening as a child became a sense of relief and release from my pent up emotions of life's darker side as I matured in the journey of my life. Then again, when happiness knocked in my heart this Diwali, it was sheer joy and celebrations and my heart sang along with the fireworks and crackers.
So, Crackers for sure are both Sounds of celebrations as well as Sounds of the bursting heart..be it bursting with sadness, or bursting with joy!!
This Diwali, I happen to record a few moments of the display of sparks and sounds of a bursting chain of crackers which matched with the sparks in my life and also resonated with the sounds of my heart bursting with joy and exuberance. Hope you will enjoy viewing this video and find your heart resonating with it too. Cheers!!
*** Diana Raj Kumari ***
