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Makar Sankranthi (A harvest festival, and considered the shortest day in India).
The weather had changed. Only till a few days ago, instead of cold it used to feel hot, but now, due to the snowfall in the mountains, cold wind had started blowing for the last two-three days. For the first time during this season, foggy breath started coming from the mouth and nose while breathing or talking. After bidding farewell to Sanjana and taking leave of Ramesh and Lachhmi, Rani finished the remaining kitchen work and turned on the TV and huddled herself under the warmth of the quilt, because hands and feet were feeling cold due to the icy winds and it was not possible to sit in the lobby or drawing room and to read or do anything. Around 12 o’clock, her mobile rang. It was Alok calling. As she touched the call icon, she heard, “Rani, lots of good wishes and congratulations on the occasion of Makar Sankranthi.”
“Alok, congratulations to you also on this occasion.”
“What’re you doing?”
Rani said laughingly, “Right now, I’m talking to you.”
Without reacting to Rani’s tone, Alok said, “I mean what were you doing before I called?”
“Nothing in particular, I was just watching the TV sitting under the quilt. It has become so cold in the last two-three days that I’m not able to do anything. Our younger daughter was here to celebrate her daughter’s first Lohri. She had to go back early, so, I prepared breakfast and saw her off, then prepared lunch for Ramesh Ji, because he carries Tiffin to office. Alok, what I’m going to tell you, you’ll certainly appreciate.”
“I’m eager to listen.”
“Alok, apart from our neighbours, we had also invited our kitty-members to celebrate our Dohti’s (Daughter’s daughter) first Lohri. There was a lot of fun and excitement. Warming ourselves by the bonfire of Lohri, without caring about cold, we enjoyed till eleven o’clock. A lady sang :
‘Sundar Mundriye, ho!
Tera Kaun Vichara, Ho!
Dulla Bhatti Wala, Ho!
Dulle Di Dhi Byahi, Ho!’
“Listening to this popular folk-song of Lohri reminded me of our childhood days, when we used to go from house to house in the entire locality several days before Lohri, to collect wood, and people of the entire area used to gather on the platform in front of your house to celebrate Lohri. How much fun used to be in eating Revdis (Sweet made of lots of sesame and sugar or jaggery), peanuts and warming hands in front of the rising flames! Even the biting cold would vanish in such an environment.”
“You’ve painted such a picture that the Lohri of childhood has come alive in front of my eyes. I’m very happy to hear that you guys celebrated the first Lohri of your Dohti in a grand manner. Otherwise many people celebrate first Lohri of their sons only. It’ll help in getting rid of the conservative ideas of the society. Change is always necessary. Today girls are not behind boys in any field. This time, even in Olympics, P.V. Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, by winning medals for the country, have compelled the society to respect their daughters. In future, its positive results will be seen in other areas, too. Rani, do you know what’s the importance of Makar Sankranthi?”
“Perhaps it would be better to say ‘no’. Tell me something about it.”
“On this day, the Sun moves from Dakshinayan (Southern hemisphere) to Uttarayan (Northern hemisphere). Secondly, from Makar Sankranthi, the days start getting longer and the nights shorter. Legend has it that whosoever dies on this day, attains salvation and goes straight to heaven. The great Bhisham Pitamah who had the boon of ‘Ichha Mrityu’ (To die only when one so wished), after getting seriously injured in the war, even while lying on the bed of arrows, kept waiting for the Sun to enter Uttarayan to breathe his last. In many parts of our country, Kite-flying events are organised on a large scale on this day whereas we fly kites only on Basant Panchami (The Spring festival falling on 5th day of Falgun, last month of Hindu calendar). Rani, I wish that on the occasion of Basant Panchami, you should come to Patiala so that we could relive our childhood by flying kites.”
“There’s still a lot of time for Basant. It’s difficult to say anything right now. We’ll plan according to the situation at that time,” saying this, she said ‘bye’ and disconnected the mobile.
*****
