~ My Diwali Dost...~

He was my Diwali man – living a secluded life in a petrol pump on Diwali night when all of Delhi was busy in the festivities of the Diwali moment. Deepinder had his own way of enjoyment as someone had given him a packet of sweets along with some candles which he had lighted near a dilapidated tyre shop which he worked in.

A big time KGF fan, Deepinder belongs to a village in UP and has been an inhabitant of Delhi since last 4 years as his father didn’t have the resources to make him study further – he is class 8^th pass, smilingingly he told me as if this was a sort of achievement for him. As I asked him if he wanted to study as I could help in a way, his blunt answer was “No” I want to have my own business, the time and my years for studies is over”. No wonder his answer was quite an accepting shock to me as he seemed to like his passion of business.

It was Diwali night of fun and frolic, of sparkle and lights but he had lit a single candle and a string of lights on his tyre puncture roadside shop cum living shanty – he was alone and ‘on the job’ of filling deflated tyres , it seemed to be a regular evening for him. There was a bit of uniqueness though, he had lighten a small ‘Diya’ (earthen lamp) in front of his favourite diety’s pic which he had placed on a dilapidated wooden podium.

I asked him” Deepinder, where are you from? And when almost half of Delhi has gone back to their native villages for Diwali celebrations, why are you still working in this city – you could have taken a break from daily rigmarole of duties which life offers us.”, he candidly replied “ Bhaiya, everyone took leave and there has to be someone managing the ‘Business’!, probably I will go on holi. We take turns whilst taking holidays, so my holi holidays are certainly booked.!”

“So don’t you miss your natives, friends on this special hour, when roads are almost empty ( a rare condition in Delhi!) and that everyone is eating, burning firecrackers and making merry – he replied “ I am happy as I have had a whatsapp videocall with my sisters and parents in Bihar” – though they were missing me but they understood the need of the hour.

No wonder, those 10 minutes of meeting Deepinder pointed certainities of life – that be whatever, there are silent workers for us who are at best making sacrifices to comply with their daily duties, be it festivities or a regular day, they are always there working to bring smile on people’s’ faces!

“Happy Diwali Deepinder and God Bless you!” were my last words of acknowledgement whilst he completed the task of inflating my car tyres , a job which he did without any qualms. A final adieu with all smiles was the last scene which made me see him for the last time before I headed to my destination, not before thinking about Deepinder till I reached my final home for Diwali Celebrations!...