It’s the final day of Durga Puja and I can’t shake off the festive mood. I’m nostalgic about how things were just two years ago compared to now.
The morning routine
During this time of year, I used to have a one-month-long school holiday followed by final exams. Mornings were always difficult for me because of late-night chats, gossip, and movies. But it was customary for us to shower, put on fresh clothes, and attend the anjali. Anjali didn’t take much time; after returning from the pandal, we would have breakfast. However, now I don’t have any holidays at my office. I wake up like any other day and go to work dressed in office attire.
The Planning
Although I had planned my days well before the holidays, I would still revise and confirm with others after breakfast. During Durga Puja, each day was dedicated to a different set of friends – one day for school friends, one day for college friends, and another for visiting relatives. Now, if it’s a weekday, I simply stare at my computer until something comes up.
Executing Plans
If my plan was to hang out with friends, I would get ready and call my friends to decide on outfits and places. If I planned to visit someone’s house, I would take a nap beforehand because while relatives can wait, my sleep cannot. Other times when I had no plans, I would lie down on my back with my laptop and enjoy some leisure time.
Evening scenes
If I spend the afternoon outside with my friends or family, it’s time to return home. Usually, my cousins come over at this time and we chat for a bit. Then, we get dressed up again and visit the pandals to watch people pass by. Nowadays, I find myself constantly checking the time at work and eagerly waiting to leave for the day. After work, I need to buy groceries and decide what to cook for dinner.
Night
After a day of enjoyment, it was finally time to have dinner with my family. During festivals, my mom cooked all my favorite dishes instead of just boring veggies like on ordinary days. After dinner, my mom asked me to visit my study-room. Little did anyone know that I would only read one page of a book for the next one or two hours while chatting with my bestie about what we should do the next day. Of course, I paid the price the night before an exam. That’s okay though. Now I have dinner alone, wash clothes and dishes, scroll aimlessly through news feeds and sigh until I’m frustrated enough with the stagnant monotony of life to go to bed.
Festivals don’t affect my routine now. It’s sad that we don’t get enough time to rejuvenate ourselves.
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