This piece is a joy to read, Jayshree, vivid and evocative from the smallest sweets to the biggest bombs of the night. The photos and audio provide an immersive experience that allows me to get a glimpse of the writer, the writing, and the world beyond the text. Such a beautiful message and feeling especially powerful on this Election Day in the U.S. Thank you for all the care and work you dedicated to making it and sharing it—a box of sweets itself with a few fireworks included.
Aww, thank you so much, Terry! Your feedback means a lot to me. Sometimes, with a longer piece like this, I wonder if it will resonate. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it - makes all the effort worthwhile. I loved this bit too: " box of sweets itself with a few fireworks included."
Timing is everything! ;-) Best wishes for what's ahead tonight! Jayshree
Sweet snacks, firecrackers and ghee. What's not to like about Diwali?
Thanks, Jayshree, for taking my mind off our election.
Not understanding Indian culture much some 15 years ago I was joking around with the father of a local Indian restaurant owner. I'd been a regular patron for several years. It was Diwali so I asked the father if it would be a wonderful thing to celebrate Diwali, a celebration that depended on seasonal and lunar things more so than just a fixed date (so I thought), twice a year, once in the Northern Hemisphere and then again in the Southern Hemisphere when the seasons changed. But what did I know? I was just making conversation. I surmise that the old man was offended because subsequent visits to the restaurant were frosty. The father and son who used to greet me and my wife were now avoiding me.
No matter. When my eldest daughter visits she cooks Indian food on occasion. She had grad student friends at Penn State from India who shared recipes and secret spices with her. My wife also has a knack for reverse engineering and can prepare at home anything she eats in a restaurant.
While I miss their good food and all-you-can-eat Sunday brunches I have not gone hungry. Plenty of fish in the sea.
lol, I am sorry they were so thin-skinned. In US, Diwali is celebrated when convenient - i.e. on the weekends! So your suggestion is not that far off the mark. They might have forgotten it by now, so you should try and return if they are still around! ;-)
YouTube is also a boon for learning new recipes. Glad you liked the story, and thanks for sharing!
This piece is a joy to read, Jayshree, vivid and evocative from the smallest sweets to the biggest bombs of the night. The photos and audio provide an immersive experience that allows me to get a glimpse of the writer, the writing, and the world beyond the text. Such a beautiful message and feeling especially powerful on this Election Day in the U.S. Thank you for all the care and work you dedicated to making it and sharing it—a box of sweets itself with a few fireworks included.
Aww, thank you so much, Terry! Your feedback means a lot to me. Sometimes, with a longer piece like this, I wonder if it will resonate. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it - makes all the effort worthwhile. I loved this bit too: " box of sweets itself with a few fireworks included."
Timing is everything! ;-) Best wishes for what's ahead tonight! Jayshree
Sweet snacks, firecrackers and ghee. What's not to like about Diwali?
Thanks, Jayshree, for taking my mind off our election.
Not understanding Indian culture much some 15 years ago I was joking around with the father of a local Indian restaurant owner. I'd been a regular patron for several years. It was Diwali so I asked the father if it would be a wonderful thing to celebrate Diwali, a celebration that depended on seasonal and lunar things more so than just a fixed date (so I thought), twice a year, once in the Northern Hemisphere and then again in the Southern Hemisphere when the seasons changed. But what did I know? I was just making conversation. I surmise that the old man was offended because subsequent visits to the restaurant were frosty. The father and son who used to greet me and my wife were now avoiding me.
No matter. When my eldest daughter visits she cooks Indian food on occasion. She had grad student friends at Penn State from India who shared recipes and secret spices with her. My wife also has a knack for reverse engineering and can prepare at home anything she eats in a restaurant.
While I miss their good food and all-you-can-eat Sunday brunches I have not gone hungry. Plenty of fish in the sea.
lol, I am sorry they were so thin-skinned. In US, Diwali is celebrated when convenient - i.e. on the weekends! So your suggestion is not that far off the mark. They might have forgotten it by now, so you should try and return if they are still around! ;-)
YouTube is also a boon for learning new recipes. Glad you liked the story, and thanks for sharing!