Happy Give-wali :)

Wish everyone a very happy “Give-wali”…..

For the past couple of weeks there is an advert on radio that goes something like this “let’s get another sari for your aunt, what about your aunt ? Won’t she be coming for Diwali ? Yes, she would, so let’s get another sari for her. What about for uncle ? Sure get a new dress for him, but my uncle would come too.. Oh yes, I meant your uncle, then get one for your uncle too. What about our neighbour ? Let’s get him a new dress too… Don’t you think we are going overboard ?… Oh no, this Diwali, keep buying, because you get cash back and other benefits from Axis Bank because “badhti ka naam zindagi”….” Brilliant jingle and the tag line is awesome “life is about growth”.

So am sure everyone has made their purchases for Diwali and to tell you the truth, I waited for everyone who could buy to buy, before writing this blog. We are the gullible generation and the advertising gurus know it .. They are doing their job brilliantly well, egging you on to buy that bigger piece because “it’s your life, make it large”. Then somebody tells you to buy their product because anyone who loves their wife can’t refuse it – yes the underlying message is that women are about cooking 🙂 how sweet and wonder why no feminist organization hasn’t taken offence to it and why Ms. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hasn’t taken offence to it. Maybe the feminist organizations were watching the gorgeous Ms. Bachchan and she was watching her gorgeous bank account, women’s rights be damned.

I wish they take the sick radio jingle for a washing machine off the airwaves, because they are being patronising to the Indian women and how their washing machine is approved by Indian women, not men. God bless the advertising world’s copy writers for some great fare. Not to forget the beautiful smile that every “surf” or “Rin” or “Nirma” lady has plastered on her face as she gleefully washes her kids clothes !!

Anyway, all of them have managed to convince the gullible you to buy the next big, better, nicer looking, “thing” not stopping to ask, if you really need it. Am guilty of this too, so Krishnan and I have done a small change to our buying. Every Diwali and Everytime we buy something, we give away more than we buy and that way it keeps the house less loaded and slowly we realised that our buying has also reduced. We use the cars, clothes, TV, Fridge etc for much longer before discarding them. Even small things like crockery, mosquito repellents and everyday utilities – we prolong their lives by repairing, by maintaining them well and by not buying another one till this completely dies out.

So that’s why I wished everyone a very happy “Give-wali” – this Diwali, if you bought two dresses, give away four, if you spent ₹ 20000/-, give away ₹ 40000/- to a charity. There are wonderful people doing great work – give them a hand. For this Diwali, we organized a meal for all the security guards and the housekeeping staff at our condominium complex and added a box of sweets. The meals were organized from “Janta meals” which is a social venture, so it helped someone to earn a living while it fulfilled our desire to provide a meal to people who make our condominium complex safe and clean to live in. The standard bag for “Goonj” is also ready and has several more usable clothes that we are giving away than what we have bought for Diwali.

Give wholeheartedly and make Diwali a “giving” festival. Everyone benefits and start “giving” now, because soon the world maybe rid of poverty and the opportunity to give may be lost, because there would be no one to receive your alms. Then all you could still give will be love, attention, time and learnings – all, far more difficult than just giving “things”. So make the most of the opportunity now – am not being sarcastic, just trying to steer our thoughts away from “consumption” to “compassion”.

Happy Give-wali everyone. Go out and give !