The 2010 Diwali marks the beginning of the custom made and fashionable festival after the downfall of recession. The malls have opened their doors with discount offers ever enticing, packed and ready to sell in the most alluring way. So, honey if you have the money you flaunt it! Else, your credit card has become your best friend again.

On a cup of coffee, I just re-winded my memories of Diwali graph on how people celebrated the festival then and now! Those days all what mattered was family. But now the trend has transformed. Diwali 2010, so what’s it all about. Experts call it- The new festive fashion where there is a great detailing of elements from anything to everything. Crackers have been designed from fancy names to fancy packages but the chemicals same. Beautifully crafted packs of sweets, but the sweets, almost the same. Oh! the most interesting one, I personally love the way this one has evolved - the diya's - from the mere clay or mud mould to the electric wired one's and now back to the moulds, at exuberant prices. And why is it so? It's custom made and no two pieces are the same, assures the salesman.

Diwali has not just become an elaborate designer affair but rather a matter of celebration in the most glamorous way! The other day, I was reading in this particular newspaper, that people hire event agencies, they have a theme for Diwali- I presumed it had only one – lights! The theme being – colour Green. So, we have houses and dresses all decked. I am aware that the festival is a five- day’s traditional affair, but the 21st century so-called traditional followers have coined better terms. Diwali is now celebrated in 3 phases: a) Pre-Diwali, (where you juggle between shopping for yourself and cleaning the house) b) Diwali (where you burst and spend all you shopped and send gifts that you have shopped) and c) Post Diwali (Hit the gym to shed for all that you shopped). And in between all of this, we pretty much do manage to fit in the traditions of the five day.

The house decorations, the theme based set up, the sweets and the gifts- I’m amazed as to how the very look of a joyous festival of Diwali has changed, something like that of a metamorphosis. A rather- happy small, joyous festival with family and friends have extended to a loud affair, I mean literally loud. Talk about the soaring demand for consumerism or thanks to the liberalization policy of India, every festival has too much to give to its consumers. This boon for us has a rather shrouding bane. Every decision, choice and even priority has become a competition and even a megalomaniac like me is not spared.

My neighbour asks me - "So what plans for Diwali, this year? Have you finished shopping? Oh! I have a to-do-list, buy sweets, decoration... Do you know any custom sweet guy, who makes traditional sweets? (Before I could answer, she shoots another one... From which mall have you brought your Diwali dress? My God! I need to even hold this gala dinner event for charity! (Halt!!! Charity, from where did this pop up?) She sounded to me like the extremely sophisticated Mrs. Sarabhai and decked up in fashion and style planning a gala dinner for charity cause. I'm a little confused as to how to react here. Whether, to be boring of all her to-do-list or to wish her saying, "Well done, Mrs Neighbour on your fancy-gala dinner-for charity! Believe me; I do encounter a number of Mrs Sarabhai from all walks of life. Let me confess, I am a little petrified by them, as I really am not sure how to answer such dainty darlings.

Do I sound against to people who spend and help? No. I'm all for - if you have, you flaunt it! But, what concerns me is my grey area that is in constant tussle. Its perpetual torture of deciding what has been people's priority this Diwali. Where, the real essence of Diwali, is victory of good over evil, in a spiritual way, people are turning more materialistic in practice, than upholding the reason of the festival. It seems. Every occasion has inevitably become a matter of prestige and pride. To flaunt has become the norm, by default. No one has drafted and formulated this rule, but it is being followed religiously by the word. No one knows where its origin is from but people are blindly following this. Another default element to it- just as my neighbour stressed about is charity. This has become more of a yet another pet show off project. It's amazing how they use the exact wealth to ward away poverty and yet again help the helpless. That, my friend, is the grey area I was mentioning about.

So, apart from the shopping and the buying, the celebration calls for other announcements. For me, it’s all NOISE. One can read parties being held by the biggies in the newspaper dailies, local channels, magazines, parties, which actor is in the city for Diwali etc. Anything for the TRP and circulations gigs. So much has been the Diwali bonding come that we have the Indian cricket team celebrating their Diwali along with the New Zealand team, only in a Test cricket way. Now did the head's ever think twice about, why in the world they need to play a test match when they are supposed to be celebrating this festival with their families. I guess the team deserves a break after their amazing victory over the Aussies. Common, the boys deserve a break.

But this Diwali happens to be really special for the Indian Government, as we have President Obama and the First lady Mrs Obama visiting India. So, the television has something more than just the wishes of the stars and serial actors wishing us their festival's itenary to their fans. One interesting fact is that the whole visit did really remind of me of an ODI's commentary. Obama said that and now Obama does this. Michelle Obama danced with the kids and so on... And so, even the country's leaders are busy entertaining their guest this Diwali.

There is something that we learn from every event. So what do we learn this Diwali? How to beat each other’s scores of party or how well did we uphold this year Diwali’s-theme? The story revolves around the coming back of Rama after 14 years of Vanvas or the end of f Narakasura. On a more spiritual fall, how much does it matter for the return of Rama or the victory of Krishna? We, as a nation, state, family and individual do boast about the great Incredible Indian tradition. But, do we actually follow them. Keep aside the following path, how much does the future-children of our families and the country know the essence and meaning of this festival-that truth is the light, overshadows all darkness and is forever victorious. I’m sure out of every 5 kids for 4 of them; Diwali is all about new clothes, sweets, parties, gifts and crackers.

It’s time we really shake up our traditional values, get into the core out of the noise, for a while and truly understand the meaning of the occasion. This is just not for Diwali-it goes out for Id, Christmas and all the festivals we celebrate in India. It’s not a lecture that you are reading, practically, I had to go back to the Wikipedia to understand the significance of the festival. You may say it’s my fault not knowing the history and I agree. But, this generation are quite unmistakably like me. Running to Google for everything! So, its time we move on from the cacophony and allow the old grandpa-ma folks take a seat, relax sit with your family, and hear the grand stories of victory over defeat. Get together as family- festivals are a big cover up for family get together’s. Make the maximum out of it every festival, everyday!

I wish each you, a Happy Diwali, for the rest of your lifetime. Sparkle up your life!