How I Realised Mobile To Rahega Hi, Diwali Nikal Jayegi

We, as Gen Z, want everything picture perfect for social media; be it selfies or celebrating festivals. My generation simply doesn't appreciate minimalism, by displaying our unique lives to others, we seek status and approval from social media. We love making it more attractive, vibrant, glittery, and filtered. Even Diwali is something we want picture perfect too.

For me also, it was the same. With all the craze of using mobile and social media. I myself have lost touch with the festival. Today, when I look back, I see how much I missed festivals, when it comes to human touch, just for making Diwali the best on social media. Instead of making memories with the family, I was too preoccupied with creating OOTD reels. Additionally, I was also so obsessed with editing my festival celebration photos for Instagram, which required higher aesthetic standards, additional filters, and suitable captions, and hashtags.

Say Not To Mobile This Diwali, Recreate Nostalgia

Do I regret it? A little. Have I learned my lesson? Yes, this maximalism hinders you from being your actual self, and while the likes and comments may make you happy for two days, you won't finish up with any standout moments or memorable happenings that you can recall from the day.

Last Diwali to make everything picture perfect, we did colour coordination with family and focused more on clicking photos, but the rest of the originality was lost in pictures only. The happy part with family was lost, then I realised in order to make my normal life into an aesthetic life and in order to make my normal family into a Dharma Production family, I overdid things or you can say maximised everything like we Gen Z are popular to do.

For the past couple of years, I never went out to buy a Diwali lamp (Akaskandil) with my father. There was so much joy in checking out colourful lamps. When father tested each of them, the moment the lamp lighted, I smiled. But now whenever asked me to accompany you, I denied it, all I did was click photos when bought a lamp home.

My mother made sweets, and I learned to get a little perfect every year. I learned and did innovations but now all I did was click pictures and added the 'Diwali Goodies To All My Lovelies'. I have this memory me my sister and mother laughing a lot when besan ki barfi was ruined because instead of putting caramelised sugar, I mistakenly added a glass of black tea brewing on the stove. So, whole besan and ghee were wasted. It is a fun story to tell now as we laughed, but my mom scolded then laughed. I missed that thing, but it has vanished. 

There are many interesting episodes to share, like building Shivaji Maharaj's fort with siblings and cousins. Throwing sand on each other and then having a group bath with a water pipe in the garden. But now we all grew up, no forts, no dancing in the water. These flashbacks are coming to me every now and then, only to make me feel nostalgic for lost time.

Now with all this introspection and the upcoming Diwali, I have decided to detox myself from social media. And get all prepared to celebrate Diwali with my family in the traditional Indian way. And relive the gone years. For starters, I already went out with my father to buy a lamp. 

I'm not going to repeat it again; I'm no longer obsessed with the Instagrammable culture that has turned us into attention-seeking hawks, who have no appreciation for regular life or regular people. I'm going to make the most of everything I have during Diwali, including the abundance of sweets, lights, smiles, and positive vibes in my life.
Because, Mobile to rahega hi, Diwali Nikal Jayegi. It will come next year now.

I urge you all to take a moment and revisit your childhood or teenage years of Diwali, where you were involved in every aspect of it. Instead of just clicking photos for your picture-perfect Instagram. So, say not to mobile this Diwali.

Views expressed by the author are their own