From this morning at home, everyone was busy with some work or other.  My younger brother Raghav was busy putting up strings of colorful lights outside the house.  Mummy was engaged in many other tasks including the preparation of Lakshmi Puja to be held in the evening.  

Papa was looking a little sad, but he too was trying to ease his heartache on the pretext of helping him in spite of his refusal to do small household chores without saying anything to anyone.  I also had to make Rangoli outside the courtyard and main gate of the house but my mind was also sad.  

This was the first Diwali in so many years when we were all preparing for Lakshmi Puja, but there was no enthusiasm and happiness on any face.  Then the mother also said to the father- 'Listen, tie the pylon on the door.  On hearing this, Papa's eyes filled with tears, which Papa had stopped from spilling, but my eyes saw him.  

Raman's uncle was responsible for tying the pylon at the door of the house every year.  Raman's uncle used to do the work of installing all the things like swinging and swaying starlights in the air.  Papa used to give directions to all of us sitting only on the comfortable chair.  

Till a few months before today, our family was also a joint family, where Raman's uncle, Suman aunty, his elder son Raju, younger daughter Chutki and all of us used to live together.  We all ate, drank, and slept together.  

But This time nothing was like before.  Don't know when and how there was a difference of opinion between the mother and the aunt and this difference turned into sectarianism and our laughing and playing joint family turned into a nuclear family.  

A wall was pulled up in the middle of the courtyard.  I kept waiting for Chutki the whole day thinking that now she will come and say- 'Didi let's make Rangoli'.  ' But she didn't come.  The day just passed, it was evening.  My Rangoli was not made yet.  I relentlessly make rangoli when gate When I came out, Chutki was standing outside.  

As soon as he saw me, he smiled softly and raised his hand lightly, and started shaking.  I smiled in response, but as soon as I signaled her to come near me, she ran inside.  My heart filled and my eyes filled with anger, I entered the house without making a rangoli.  

Seeing my hanging face, Papa asked- 'Hey Guddan, what happened?  ' I could not say anything, I just started looking at my father with wet eyelids and my father understood everything.  they passed me Called and asked to sit.  I shuddered as soon as I sat next to my father.

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