Every year come Diwali, we
quickly pack some stuff and fly across to Patna. There is something about this
city that draws us to it – a charm that compels us to come to the city on the
slightest excuse. Maybe Patna is incorporated into our DNA because this is
where our family comes from.
Patna is one of the oldest cities
alive. Earlier known as Patliputra, it has been a centre of power for many
dynasties – from the Guptas and Mauryas to the Mughals and even the British.
The ancient culture and traditions are woven into the rich tapestry that makes
the city.
Now, as capital of a state that
has started striding towards development, Patna is booming. The city is now
eager to join the ‘big city’ stream and is bustling with energy. So now we have
a vibrant city that is a rich mixture of the old and the new. While we still
have the line of hawkers selling everything under the sun beside the crowded
roads, we can see new buildings, hotels, malls, multiplexes and showrooms of
big brands rising against the skyline. The people are still the same – going
about their affairs in the same calm, laid-back manner. But now they have a
more modern lifestyle with new cars, houses and places to go. This juxtaposition
of the old and new gives a quaint charm to the city and its people.
During festivals, Patna is the
place to be. Starting from Diwali, and extending up to the Bihari festival of
Chhath, the city shows its traditional charm at its best. It bursts into a
colourful celebration that lasts nearly fifteen days. In this period, we can
see people full of happiness and gusto. Everybody is smiling as they roam
around the markets that spring up on the footpaths or go about decorating their
houses with lights and colours.
This year I spent a week in Patna
to celebrate Diwali. And I enjoyed every moment there. Starting from the first
day of Dhanteras, people took to the streets for the festival shopping. Diwali
is the time when people decorate their homes and prepare it for the New Year.
It is the time when we buy new stuff for ourselves. And it is also the time for
elaborate poojas. Accordingly in response to the demand, dozens of markets open
up by the roadsides.
All footpaths are taken over by
hawkers and small shops selling diyas, lamps, crackers, rangoli colours, Ganesh
– Laxmi idols, toys, sweets, earthenware, and utensils and so on. The widest
roads shrink as the shops and droves of people spill out on the roads. The
Boring Road is one of the most famous places for Diwali shopping.
On this occasion, there is
nothing boring about the Boring Road. (The name was actually given because of
the bore well there.) People come here specially to buy things for the poojas
done on Diwali. Stall after stall is lined with beautiful idols of Ganesh and
Laxmi. From simple to elaborate, from small to large, we had a huge range of
choices for the idols. With the idols come a variety of accessories. Bunches of
small colourful necklaces hang over each stall. There are also small dresses
available at some stalls.
Along with the idols, the shops
also sell earthen toys. Money banks are most popular at this time. There are
money banks in all shapes, sizes and colours. Some are shaped as animals, some
as fruits and vegetables; we could see some shaped as even gas cylinders!
Bright rangoli colours are piled
over laris. Decorative items like lanterns, streamers, flowers fill up the
whole place in a riot of colours.
A tradition followed in this part
of the country during Diwali is the decoration of toy houses by children.
Children prepare their own houses and deck them up beautifully. Such toy houses
are also seen at the markets during this time. Made from simple materials like
hay, thermocol, cardboard or wood, they could be as simple as a single room
with windows or as elaborate as three – storey bungalows with terraces. Storey
houses complete with windows, doors and stairs are most popular with the kids.
For setting up these toy houses,
there are a variety of earthen toys. Stoves, wheat grinders, utensils – all are
available in the form of toys. Potters nowadays make coloured toys and diyas.
All of these are spread out in baskets wherever there is space between or in
front of the shops.
And what is Diwali without
crackers? Crackers, sparklers and rockets of every kind imaginable are
displayed on numerous stalls where children and grownups both crowd over. With
the crowds of people thriving here and the traffic squeezing past, it looks
like the Boring Road has burst into a profusion of lights and colours.
Pretty much similar is the
scenario at the old established markets of the city. Patna Market is one of the
oldest shopping centres here, famous for jewellery showrooms and garment shops.
Sparkling gold ornaments and traditional saris and dresses of the latest designs
glitter behind windows, luring and tempting people to buy them all. There are
also stalls selling glass bangles and trinkets of all colours and designs.
Right outside the Patna Market
are several stalls where we get amazing ‘littis’, panipuris, chats and such
snacks. Speaking of eatables, opposite the Patna Museum, there are several
famous confectioneries where we get traditional sweets like Silaw khaja,
lai, Maner laddu, anarsa, gaja, pedakia. Just looking at them stacked up sets
one’s mouth watering.
After this amazing shopping
experience, the actual Diwali celebration was a joyous event. We decorated our
home with oil lamps and strands of electric lights. We ate lots of sweets and
burst many crackers with other children in our apartment. We made many new
friends. We went to the terrace and the
view was breath taking. The whole city was decked up in lights and the sky
erupted time and again into sparkles as rockets swished up.
What made this Diwali a real
delight was the joy and jollity in all the people around us. As we lit up the
diyas, we could feel the merry festive mood cover us all. Maybe this is the
atmosphere that makes us feel at home at Patna. Maybe this is why we feel we
belong here, even though we stay here for only a short time. Maybe this is why
we come back here every time.
