It was my first Deepawali in US and unique in some respects. After perhaps two decades or more, we were with our three sons on this day that celebrates the win of righteousness over devil powers. The last one must be in some year around 1988 when the three were in high school and living with us in Hind Motors. The family now has grown to thirteen.

Shannon had invited Rakesh, the eldest and Rajesh, with their family. Only Shephali couldn’t join us. She had gone to New York for her externship at Jamaica Medical Center. However, the digitally she got in touch. Every one in family could exchange greetings and talk. Anand’s laptop and web camera was the medium.

With a large number of Indians living in US, some in Pleasanton too, Yamuna could get all that she wished for rituals of worshipping the Goddess of wealth. Some of the items such as the sweets were even better packed that what we use in Noida. Shannon had taken the services of a company with expertise in home cleaning. Its three women workers that were Mexicans took less that two hours in cleaning and wiping the whole house and billed $175. Yamuna thought it to be too costly. I think in this busy life style this can be the best solution.

We had our Puja as usual and then the dinner and sweets, but the most important were the memories of the yester years that kept my mind busy and excited. Perhaps we at the fag end of life can no more think of living together in a typical joint family style. It is perhaps neither practical nor desirable, even if all would have been in India. But such meetings, once in a year or two are possible. Rajesh came out with suggestion to have it outside somewhere. It reminded me of one of my old days wishes that I used to talk quite often. Shannon suggested New Zealand. Perhaps they took it lightly.

I only expressed my one wish to all the elder members of the family. They must take an initiative and organize once a function in India, preferably in our village near Sasaram, in which they invite all the close relatives too and meet them. I don’t know if it would happen.