Going Home For That Festival of Spring In India

I hear this phrase often these days – creating a dent in the universe. It was once part of Steve Job’s quote. Now it is everyone’s daily lingo.

Yes I understand - what it means metaphorically - is leaving our mark or creating an impact in a manner that it changes people’s lives for better.

Yesterday I told my mother I will be watching old Hindi movies today that have Holi in it, expecting Silsila or Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani kind of movies to play on TV today. I ended up watching Toilet – Ek Prem Katha.

Never mind that.

That has nothing to do with the theme of this blog or its message. I only hope by the end of the blog I have something good enough to hammer.

Watching a movie in the afternoon and playing cards with my mother after dinner is far from creating a dent.

That is so ordinary.

Turn around and see the world of success. 

How many of them can do the ordinary, like splash colors like these kids near a running tap to celebrate Spring or Holi  - the festival of spring or even watch them drenching each other with colors?

The power of ordinary which is again another catchy phrase these days is a force to reckon with - Living a life without anxieties – just a predictable routine requires a lot of hard work. Not everyone can insulate themselves from the world’s pace, FOMO syndrome to find their own solitude.

Even if they prepare a sandwich, they cannot fight the urge to click an image, write about its nine yard, an inspiring story around it and up it goes on social media to attract a few likes, a dozen comments and their day is made – Extraordinary, in their own Universe

Ok never mind that either. Let us go back to Holi -Why is this such a big deal in India? 

Holi is not just a festival of colors – it signifies the end of winter and the arrival of spring, gatherings, laughter and hopes for a good harvest.

I got one of my interns today to create a Canva design for a forthcoming Kashmir trip that a friend is organizing on 27^th May this year – She is not even aware that we are working behind the scenes to promote her business online. She recently had a very bad accident and has always been digitally retarded.

I made a few calls to source Bengal Cotton and Handloom sarees for another friend who is miles away from Bengal and keen to tap the Indian market with the richness of Bengal

I coached a friend’s friend who happened to call me today regarding how to get started to establish online income.

Those were very ordinary, routine work I did today but that’s what spring stands for – new beginnings. With Bengali New Years around the corner, now is the time to make even the ordinary count long term.

The Holi celebrations in India include the religious rituals in front of the bonfire the night before Holi to destroy evil energy followed by smearing each with colors the following day. Children with water guns and water filled balloons while the seniors prepare themselves the customary drink.

If you are in a city far away from home or away on an official trip away from family - you miss out on the ordinary, the mundane,  children screaming with joy, the aroma of food being prepared, the noisy gatherings, the Rang Barse playing on the local microphone and a lot more.

So, what about creating a dent in the universe?  

You can be ambitious enough to do that only after you succeed to create a dent in your own universe instead of being slave of habits, consumed by materialism and never ending pursuit for your senses.

I have learnt to let go and brought myself to enjoy these little moments of celebrations with family, not to upload images on social media channels but to create memories to cherish for a very long time.

So are you taking that little trip in your mind, this Holi - where you want to go next? To touch the pyramids in Egypt or to touch your parents feet and smear them with color, play cricket the with boys in your lane or do laundry with your mother.

Make time for the ordinary in your trips - Being home is not about reaching a place, it is about reaching where you feel you belong.