Happy Dussehra ,1998

Meerut , 1998 :
It was a beautiful crimson sky on the eve of the auspicious festival Dusshehra. However this was not of much importance for me for I was despratly waiting for my father to come back from office. I had already checked thrice since afternoon that the paper-Ravan made by me and my younger brother was still intact. It was 5:30 in the evening and my bro was still in his nap (that explians the intactness of the effigy actually). The moment I heard the company siren ring, I knew that we would soon be leaving with papa to see the Ravan burning to ashes in the Ramlila ground. My 6 year old bro woke up by the siren and joined me in my eager wait for daddy to return.

Soon we both were marching proudly with daddy in between and his favourite younger son clinging to him every now and then. Dressed in the newest of clothes we both were brimming with jubiliant thoughts. Soon we reached the ground and as every year, I was bought a bow-arrow and my bro a "gadda". He used to be happy with this but not by the mocks I used to pass at him at this amusing interest of his. After viewing Ravan exploding with crackers we used to come back home with daddy before dusk.

And now the actual dussehra used to begin. The paper made Ravan was assembled from pieces to make a self supporting structure and it was kept on one side of the varandah.Then we sprinkled some petrol on it. I asked my bro to sit beside the effigy with a mathstick and a match box. I myself stood on one side and considered myself Lord Ram with the plastic bow and arrow in my hand. I shouted " ready bhai ??" Bhai blinked "Yes". I closed my eyes to take a solemn oath before aiming at Ravan. Then aimed and shot the arrow. But to my utter dismay , Bhai dint struck the match stick and was still trying...i screamed "Machis to jala gadhe k bache (without thinking of the meaning of the slang)" .

We started all over again. I closed my eyes patiently. But this time I heard the match stick struck before i could aim and shoot. The effigy was blazzing with fire. Entire plan was spoiled. And my bhai (as every year) grinned at me and said "Bhaiya khatam kar diya Ravan ko :)". I had no option but to helplessly aim at the burning effigy , shoot at it, find that the arrow actually hitting the tub and finally shout "Happy Dussehra".