Make Money, Its Navratri!!

A group of little girls, dressed in their best Indian finery greeted me as I was climbing up the stairs today. Giggling and pulling each other’s leg they were anxiously counting the money they made at my neighbours house.

I smiled, waved out and turned around to see them rush into another house.

Rewind 20 years and I would have been one of them.

Here’s why:

Two days prior to Dusshera are Ashtami and Navami....... days when all young girls popularly known as Kanjaks are welcomed into the house, treated as reincarnations of goddess Durga, worshipped, made to eat appetizing chana, puri, halwa and yes, given money as a token of love and appreciation.

These two days the girls visit one house after the other like little princesses, getting pampered and calculating who made more money than the other. Of course, the girls are too young to understand the religious sentiments behind this age old custom. No wonder, I feel extremely ashamed now having told one my aunts “woh wali aunty ne aap se zyaada paise diye” Sheeeshhhh I was cheap!!!

But for me and all girls that age, it’s a fantastic holiday, it’s time to be showered with love, blessings, appreciation, LOTS OF MONEY and a time to get mollycoddled like never before J

I used to make some good money too. Close to 200 bucks in two days. Can you imagine what that kind of money would mean to a 7 year old?

We girls used to then pool in our collection and visit the oh-so-magnificent-out of bounds-food paradise called Nirula’s. The thought of visiting Nirula’s, a restaurant strictly meant ONLY for SPECIAL occasions and relishing the tomato soup, dal makhani, naan and mushroom capsicum onion pizza all sponsored by someone else’s money was sort of a cheap thrill but hey, who cares? I didn’t care then, I wouldn’t care now!

This WAS a BIG deal for us and we felt these two days just belonged to us – no studies, no punishments, no discipline, no chores, nothing. A full blown tribute to girl power. Yay!  

Meeting these tiny tots trotting down the stairs today, I couldn’t help but smile to myself reminiscing those innocent childhood days. I was glad that in an age when kids seem to outsmart their parents and are far more advanced, knowledgeable, savvy than what we were...something’s still remain the same.

And I hope, they always do. Happy Navratri everyone! J

Navratri, Lokhandwala Durga Puja Pandal