The Gospel according to my little cousin

Diwali! The Indian Christmas! And this year, I was the Desi Santa Claus!

Going home after earning my first salary felt like heaven. Laden with goodies for the whole family, I truly felt at peace with the world. And the look on my paatti's (grandma's) face when I handed a 1000 rupee note to her was, as MasterCard puts it, priceless!

But this Diwali was all the more important to me because I got to see the world through two completely different people. My 75-year-old grandma and my six-year-old cousin.

Scene 1:
My grandma has just received word that her pension arrears have been sanctioned and she is entitled to a huge sum. Somewhere in the vicinity of two lakhs! I am driving her over to a relative's place.

Grandma: kannappa! (That's how she calls me. She never calls me by my name, it being the name of my late grandfather!) As soon as the money comes, it will be your birthday. I will give you some money.
Me: Why paatti? I have started earning. Keep it yourself. Enjoy.
Her: Not like that. I want to give. Some for you, some for your sister. Then of course, to your dad and mom. Your mom has taken care of me for so long! (This coming from an almost typical Indian Saas!) And then the rest I will give to my sister's son. (This son has been paralysed from birth and is now around 25. Can't eat or bathe or brush by himself.)
Me: What about for you?
Grandma: What use is it for me? I will be dead and gone in a few years!(I frankly think most old people are fascinated by death. They never stop talking about it! Fetish, perhaps!)

Just like that, she was giving away two lakhs! And here I was, trying to figure out which person in the family to leave out of the gift list, so I have money to party later!

Scene 2:
I am taking my 6-year-old cousin on a 'bike ride'! Through the streets of Chennai filled with Diwali rubbish. Late evening, with 'Digital Calculator' and 'Pink Pongs' and 'Hot Girls' lighting up the sky. (These are genuine names of rockets!). She suddenly looks up to me and says, "I prefer things that only give out light. And lots of colors. I don't know why people like bombs so much. Too much noise!"

How does that MLTR song go?
The world's so wild,
but you've built your own paradise, Sleeping Child!

Another time, at the Marina. A beautiful afternoon, the sea in a hue of colors. Grey and green and blue playing with my mind. My cousin looks at the beach sand and notices the countless paper rockets and kites and balloon pieces on the sand. She then turns to her source of wisdom - her dad.
"Daddy, why are there so many balloon pieces?"
"Because, sweety, people sell balloons in the evenings and kids play with them."
She looks perplexed.
"But daddy, why do you need balloons here? You've got waves! What more do you need?"

My Diwali was made!