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Childhood memories from Tamil Nadu, India — Viswa, Sathva Foods
For me, growing up in Lalgudi, Tamil Nadu, Deepavali meant one thing above everything else — PATTAASU! (Fireworks!)
And not just any fireworks. The mighty 10,000 wala!
That continuous pada-pada-pada-pada sound echoing through the streets was the real announcement that Deepavali had arrived!
Forget alarm clocks. Once the crackers started bursting, the entire neighbourhood knew it was time to celebrate.
We were five siblings, and buying fireworks was serious business in our house!
My eldest brother was in charge of dividing the crackers among all of us. Each of us would eagerly wait for our share, probably hoping to get just a little more than the others!
And we didn't simply buy the fireworks and forget about them until Deepavali.
Every day, we would take them up to the mottai maadi — the open terrace of our house — and spread them out to dry in the sun.
We did this to keep them dry so they would work properly when the big day arrived.
Imagine five siblings carefully looking after their collection of fireworks for days, waiting for that one night when we could finally light them!
Those crackers were precious possessions.
And then there were the new clothes.
Today, we buy clothes whenever we need them. But back then, getting a new dress for Deepavali was a celebration in itself.
The excitement of wearing something brand new, specially bought for the festival, was something else.
We would look forward to it for days.
It didn't have to be expensive or fashionable. Just knowing it was our Deepavali dress was enough to make us happy!
Deepavali eve was when the real fun began.
Sleep? What sleep?
We would spend the night with our friends, walking around the streets of Lalgudi, lighting fireworks and enjoying the celebrations happening all around us.
There was excitement everywhere.
Every few minutes, you would hear another burst of crackers from somewhere in the neighbourhood.
We would move from one street to another, meeting friends, watching the fireworks and joining in the celebrations.
And, of course, there was nothing quite like the thunderous sound of a 10,000 wala going off!
The louder and longer it went on, the more exciting it was.
There was no hurry to go home, no thought of how late it was getting.
We had waited all year for this night!
By the time morning arrived, we would finally be ready to sleep.
For us, Deepavali wasn't just a day of celebration. It was a night of celebration too!
If fireworks were the highlight of Deepavali, food came a very close second.
In our house, suzhiyam (also called thoppam in our family) and bajji were an absolute must.
Deepavali simply wouldn't feel complete without them!
But the best part was that we didn't eat only what was made at home.
Everyone in the neighbourhood would exchange homemade palagaram.
One house would send over their special sweets and savouries, another family would share something different, and before long, there would be so many varieties to taste.
And naturally, we had to try everything!
Throughout the day, we would keep eating palagaram from different houses.
Every family had its own way of preparing the same dishes. A murukku from one house would taste different from another. Some snacks would be spicier, some sweets richer.
There was always something new to taste.
Looking back, I think we spent almost as much time eating as we did bursting crackers!
One of the things I remember most about Deepavali in Lalgudi is how the celebration extended beyond our own home.
It wasn't only about our family.
Friends, siblings, neighbours — everyone was part of it.
We shared food, exchanged greetings, walked through the streets together and enjoyed the excitement of the festival.
Nobody needed a special invitation to feel part of the celebration.
The sound of crackers, the smell of freshly prepared palagaram and the sight of everyone in their new clothes made the whole town feel festive.
I think I would go straight back to those streets in Lalgudi.
To the days when five siblings eagerly waited for their share of fireworks.
When drying crackers on the mottai maadi was part of our daily routine.
When a new dress brought so much happiness.
When every neighbour's home had a different palagaram to taste.
And when we spent the entire night with friends, celebrating until the sun came up.
Today, Deepavali may be celebrated differently. We have grown older, and many things have changed.
But even now, whenever I hear the familiar sound of a long string of crackers bursting, I am reminded of those childhood days.
Because for me, the sound of a 10,000 wala will always be the sound of Deepavali!
— Viswa, Sathva Foods
