Diwali

It was the cheerful and sunny morning of Diwali. The much-awaited festival of lights was here. The sky had a lovely pink glow, and the village was agog with joy. On Diwali night, most Hindus offer prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesh, the god representing good fortune and wisdom for the coming year.

Danish was an eight-year-old orphan who lived with his grandmother. She told him that his parents had gone to visit God, asking for a better fortune, and would be back with lots of sweets and new clothes for him. Little did Danish know his grandmother was worried about arranging every meal.

Danish owned three pairs of clothes and lived in his little house, in a lovely village. In the evening he went out to the market, sat on a bench nearby, and watched little kids purchase their favorite firecrackers and clothes for the night. He got anxious, thinking about when his parents would be back. Danish had heard that people exchange sweets and gifts on the Diwali evening with their loved ones. He wished he had something to give to his grandmother. Danish walked a long way and went to every temple in the village asking God for good fortune and a gift that his grandma would like. On his way home, he visited a big temple and asked the chief priest to request God to tell his parents to come back with or without sweets and also asked for a gift. Then he helped the priest with the Diwali decorations of the temple. As a reward, the priest offered Danish a gold bracelet and enough money to feed Danish and his grandma till the next Diwali.

Danish ran back to his grandmother and saw her praying. He quietly sat behind her. She had made ladoos, Danish’s favorite dessert for which he had been waiting for months. Danish gave her the gift he received from the temple of God and told her about the kind priest. Big tears fell from her eyes and she hugged Danish tightly. It was a Happy Diwali.