Lessons from Indian Mythology - Diwali!

Me: It’s diwali today and tomorrow, manya. Happy diwali!
M: Happy diwali Mom!
Me: Do you know why we celebrate Diwali.
M: Uh huh. It’s the Festival of Lights.
Me: But there’s also a story behind it.
M: Oh I know. Hanuman saved somebody’s wife from someone who had stolen her. And right won over wrong.
Me: Yes, Lord Ram’s wife, Sita, was abducted by Ravan. There was a war and Hanuman did play a major role. So we celebrate Diwali to mark their return after the victory.
M: I have a question how did Ravan kidnap Sita?
Me: He went to her in disguise and tricked her.
M: Was Sita very old that time.
Me: No
M: Then why didn’t she defend herself. One roundhouse kick and Ravan would have backed off.
Me: Well But Ravan was pretty powerful too.
M: But did she kick him nice and strong?;
Me: I don’t think so Manya.
M: She should have. The whole war could be avoided.
Me: Hmm that’s a great learning. That’s why everyone should learn martial arts like you.
M: Yes. But I like celebrating Diwali. Will you make chhola puri today?
Me: Sure!

Happy Diwali to you and yours. Here’s to self defense and chhola puri, ofcourse!

Halloween Obsession Going Strong...Third Consecutive Year

A very unassuming friendly gentleman at the store, to Manya: "Aren't you a lovely little girl there!"

Manya: "Yes, I do look like a lovely little girl, but actually I am a vampire. I suck human blood."

That speechless-horrified expression on the man's face for the one moment was priceless. I ofcourse chimed in, "It clearly is Halloween time!"
He gave a quick smile and retreated into oblivion.

\

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was indeed very merry - A daddy with minimal work load at office and an overenthusiastic mommy made sure the year ended with a lot of fun.

The house was lit up, the Christmas tree was set in the living space for the first time ever, a mail was posted to Santa with a tiny wishlist, mommy soaked fruits and nuts in rum and wine for the cake, we even took a train ride to visit Santa, we woke up on the d day to wrapped presents and stuffed stockings, more festivities awaited at the party hosted by friends. All in all, one of the most joyous year ends and beginnings ever!

The festival of lights...

Even though Manya is 3, I realise that it is only now that she is at an age where we can actively celebrate our festivals etc. Therefore, this year has been special in the sense that we have been really enthusiastic about celebrating major festivals and holiday traditions and hope to continue doing so in the years to come.

Diwali was all about lights - this is the first time we set up light in the US. Manya and mommy also did a simple rangoli inspite of it being a rainy day. Indian goodies were made in the kitchen - we kept it simple with all of us down with cold!

First time trick o' treating!

I had already blogged about M's Halloween obsession here. Well, yesterday was her first time ever trick o' treating and she did have a blast!

Dressed up as bat girl, our very own caped crusader had not one but two parties to attend. 

I was a little apprehensive about her going door-to-door for the trick o' treat, but was shocked at her independence and unabashedness as her cries for candy became louder as did the amount she was grabbing with each passing house. I would like to assume it was because she was with a known group and knew mommy is close behind - but I must also mention, at one point she asked me to go back home and wait for her. The gall of the girl!  

The Gothic phase!

Manya is going through a real interesting phase - I call it the "Gothic" phase. We happened to chance upon a book about monsters a couple of months back and there has been no looking back after that.

She wants monster stories all the time, she wants to watch "scary" ghost stories - it is not that she is not scare d she is scared but thrilled at the same time. She imagines tree shadows into our bedroom to be monster arms and then screams in fear or mock, I don't really know which! She runs from one room to another saying she saw a zombie and then is highly disappointed when she realizes there is no space under the bed for monsters to hide.

Oh, and I must talk about creative expressions on these lines - she paints dark, stormy nights in her art class using black, green and purple colors. She paints everything black and brown and dabs some silver strokes here and there and apparently those are spooky voices in the dark forest!

That Halloween is round the corner and all stores are already stocking on decorations and jack-o-lanterns and costumes and what not - hasn't helped our cause. This obsession of hers couldn't be more ill  perfectly timed. The following is her well researched (thank you Library) wish list for Halloween:

- She wants to scare people.

- She wants to go trick or treating (and has already bought her pumpkin basket to carry all that candy).

- She wants to go to a pumpkin field, pick her own one, and carve her own jack-o-lantern.

- She wants to become a bat girl (costume already obtained) - no she is not aware of the comic series or the character but the black cape and the mask excite her! She wanted to become a witch but apparently according to her the costumer was "not black enough".

- She wants to decorate the house with pumpkins, spiders and cobwebs - she also wanted skeletons but has scratched that off her list because then the house "will become too scary".

Here are some hilarious conversation tid-bits in this context...

Me: Manya what do you want to be for Halloween?

Manya: Bat girl

Me: Oh but I thought you wanted to be a witch or something - you didn't like that costume?

Manya: No, for Halloween I want to be a bat girl but when I grow up I want to be a witch.

Me: But you said you'd be an astronaut or a pilot or a firefighter?

Manya: No, I just want to be a witch and cast spell on people.

Me: That maybe a very good career choice (bleh)

-------

Me: Manya you have been extra cranky since morning. Can you please not behave so badly.

Manya: I am not behaving badly. I think a witch has cast a spell.

Me: You'll really have to come up with a better excuse next time.

------

Manya: I think there's a monster in our room.

Me: There's no monster. Monsters are not even real. They are just in your imagination.

Manya (very disappointed): I wish monsters were real.

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Manya: Tell me a scary monster story.

So, I make some rubbish up.

Manya: But that is not scary at all - please make it more scary so that I am scared!

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This fall is going to be very interesting. Signing off with a picture of Manya's dining plate these days...

P.S. As I was updating the labels for this post, I kid you not a spider jumped onto my screen from nowhere - BOO. It is getting spooky out here!

Happy Holi!

All these years after our wedding, I have been whining and cribbing, and whining how I have not been able to indulge in my favorite festival - Holi , BUT things have changed - I have found my partner in crime...

It was so simple:

Me: Manya it's holi today! Happy holi!

Manya: What is holi, mommy?

Me: Holi is a festival of colors. You put color on each other.

Manya: Hurray, Let's do holi! Happy Holi!

So I whipped up some homemade color (using gram flour, corn flour, sandalwood powder, turmeric, icing flavors). We waited for it to get nice and sunny outside and then played with colors for a long time - I am sure the neighbors thought we had gone crazy - We colored each other's faces, clothes, slippers, legs, and what not. Manya was thrilled - she wants to "do holi" everyday now!

We "wore holi" (some nice colorful Indian clothes) after a "holi bath", which had mommy and dotty splashing in the tub together. We also "ate holi" - potatoes, puri, gol gappas, and suji halwa with puris being M's favorite!

I am hoping we'll get rowdier as the years progress ;).