# Nostalgia - Diwali Story : This story was narrated to us each year during Diwali Puja by our Fathers Nani in the early sixties. If you have children pls do narrate this story to them. Happy Diwali !! There was once a king, who loved his queen very very much. One day the king summoned the best jeweler in his kingdom, and asked him to make a magnificent necklace costing rupees nine hundred thousand (nine lakhs) for the queen. When it was made it was so beautiful that the queen wore it all the time and wherever she went. She looked so very beautiful with the naulahha haar (nine lakh necklace) around her neck, that everyone stared at her. Every morning she would go to the river to bathe with her ladies-in-waiting. She used to take off her jewellery and fancy clothes, and put them on the banks of the river. One day, she did the same and was happily playing and splashing in the river when a kite came flying over the place, and seeing a shining object, it swooped down and took the necklace away. (Kites love to take shining objects to their nests for their young ones to get excited about, and also to decorate their homes with glitter.) The queen came out of the river and found, to her dismay, that her necklace was missing, and she was distressed beyond measure, and no one could console her. She fretted so much that the king heard of it within a few minutes, and came to find out what had happened. He was also very very upset and naulakha haar would be given anything he or she desired. A man with a dholak went around making the announcement all over the kingdom, and everyone came to know of the great loss suffered by the queen and that the discovery of the necklace would make the person who found it rich beyond his or her wildest dreams. So, everyone did nothing but look for the beautiful haar and talk about it at homes and in marketplaces. The queen could not be consoled. She gave up eating and drinking, and the king was also very unhappy and kept inquiring of his servicemen every noe and then as to the progress made in the matter. Now, there used to be a very old and poor woman, who lived right ouside the town, just where the forest began. She used to make her livelihood by selling wood and sticks for lighting fires, which would meet her meager daily needs. She had no one else to look after her as her children were away and she had to do her own household chores and shopping. In any case, she could not buy much as she was so poor. As Diwali was approaching, she was cleaning her hut, which was very dark and dingy because it was near the forest. She saw a patragho (a large lizard-like animal found in the forest) in a dark corner of her hut. She killet it, and threw it on her thatched roof. At this very moment, the kite with the naulakha haar was flying past and its eyes fell on the dead animal. The kite thought that food was better than the glittering object that it was carrying, So, it dropped the haar on the thatched roof and made off with the dead patragho. The old woman heard the noise and on seeing something shining on the roof brought it down and found, to her amazement, the most beautiful haar that one could imagine. She knew at once that it must belong to the queen. Soon she heard about the kings announcement, and the misery in the palace. So she went and asked for an audience with the king. The king was surprised, but he was a good and kind person and, so, she was brought before him. She asked him whether he would stand by what he had promised through his announcement. The king looked hopeful and solemnly declared that he would do as he had promised. I have it here, the old woman said, and took out the haar from her torn jute bag, much to the amazement of all the countries, who looked startled and wondered what the old woman would ask for. They, as well as the king, expected her to ask for half the kingdom, or any amount of wealth; but she did not. Do you know what she asked for? Sire, please order everyone, that on Diwali day no one will light up their houses except me, and the palace shall also be dark. The king was stunned, but heaved a sigh of relief at the strange request, and he granted it at once. He was afraid that she might change her mind. This was hardly a thing to think twice about. Everyone talked at length about this odd request - in the marketplaces, in the houses, and in the palace. Wise men shook their heads perplexed, not understanding what it would fetch the old woman. Diwali was near, and soon the day dawned. People were told that not a single light should be seen, or else they would be punished with dead - even the kings palace stood in total darkness as the sun went down. There was pitch darkness everywhere, and only one diya twinkled in the old womans house, far away in a corner of the landscape. The old woman just did what she was used to doing all her life during Diwali, and lit only one diya, being too poor to afford any more. At the stroke of midnight, Lakshmiji came down from the heavens in her glittering clothes, so that they would shine all the more in the beautiful lights of the houses and palaces which she would visit. She loved a lot of light and gaiety and so she visited those houses which were bright and shining. Today, she was perplexed for she could hardly move without stumbling against a pillar or post, and nearly fell at several places. She was so miserable, that she scanned the horizon for some light somewhere, and then she saw the little glimmer from the old womans hut.She made a dash for it, because by now she was completely desperate. Inside her hut, the old woman had bolted the door and had sat down to do her puja with her old broken earthen utensils. Soon she saw a very bewildered and desperate looking tiny little man, who came running to her side in great agitation, shouting: Let me out, let me out, old woman. I cannot stand this light, I must get out at once. I am used to darkness and dinginess and dampness. I could stay but for this light. The old woman gave him one look and asked, Who are you, you funny looking tiny man? I am Diladdar (absolute down and out one), companion of the very poor, replied the old man. The old woman spoke to him thus: You cannot leave me, diladdar, you have been my constant companion year after year, and I cannot let you go. I will not allow you to go.iO woman, have pity on me, I will die in this illuminated house, I am one who can only live in darkness and dirt, and not in light and cleanliness. There is lovely darkness all over the town tonight. Please, please, open the door. Outside Lakshmiji was standing at the door and pleading in her lovely soft voice: Sweet lady, I am distressed, please show me the light and let me in - yours is the only house in which I can feel comfortable and happy. I cannot see the other houses. I cannot even see my own feet, and I am frightened. Please, please, let me in. The old woman replied: No, no, I will not let you in; you have never bothered about me before, why should I take pity on you? But Lakshmiji pleaded with her. So the old woman asked her: If I let you in, will you promise that you will never leave and will always stay in my house? If you promise me that I will let you in. Lakshmiji replied: Yes, yes, I promise, I will not leave your house ever. At the same time Diladdar was shouting himself hoarse to be let out. The old woman told him:You promise that you will never come anywhere near my house again, only then will I let you out. I promise, I promise, cried Diladdar. Quickly, the old woman opened the door and immediately Lakshmiji entered. Seeing her, Diladdar became more frightened and he just fled into the darkness. Very soon, the old woman summoned back all her children, who had gone away to other towns in search of food and money, to come and live with her, and they returned and everyone lived happily ever after.
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 06:55:30 +0000
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