Mumbai, Nov 10 — Comedian and television personality Bharti Singh opened up about how her Diwali celebrations have evolved over the years.
Recalling the financial challenges her family faced during childhood and sharing the values she hopes to pass on to her children, Gola and Kaju, Bharti opened up on it all.
Speaking to IANS exclusively about the biggest change in her Diwali celebrations, Bharti said that financial stability has transformed the way she celebrates the festival.
Recalling how her family once had to choose between buying sweets and firecrackers, she said, “Yaar abhi toh sab change ho gaya hai. Char paise aa gaye. Pehle paise nahi hote the toh itne patakhe khareed nahi sakte the. Vaise toh patakhe nahi jalane chahiye, lekin bachon ko koi nahi samjha pata. Ki patakhe nahi jalane. Ek do toh jalane padte hai. Aur tab halat itni kharab thi ki hum ya toh mithai le lo ya patakhe le lo. Toh aksar mithai lete the kyuki usse puja karni hoti thi. But bachpan ki badi aisi yaadein hai ki jab bhi festival aate the. Main thoda pareshan ho jati thi ki bhai paise nahi hai saman kahan se lenge. Lekin ab sari cheezein change ho gayi hai, waqt badal gaya hai.”
(Well, everything has changed now. We have a little money now. Earlier, we did not have enough money to buy so many firecrackers. Ideally, one should not burst firecrackers, but nobody can really explain that to children. They insist on bursting at least one or two. Back then, our financial situation was so difficult that we had to choose between buying sweets or firecrackers. We would usually choose sweets because we needed them for the puja. I have so many memories from childhood. Whenever a festival approached, I would get a little worried, wondering where we would get the money to buy things. But now everything has changed; times have changed)
She added, “Hum mehnat karne lag gaye hai char paise aa gaye. Toh abhi kisi bhi cheez ke liye mujhe sochna nahi pad raha ki mein ye kharidu ki na kharidu. Bas bahar jaane ki der hai aur khareedne ki der hai. Lekin kya karein Indian Game Show itna back to back shoot hota hai lekin mein time nikal ke gayi aur apni pasandida cheezon ki shopping ki, bachon ko karwai, kyunki ab din badal gaye hain.
(We started working hard and began earning money. Today, I don't have to think twice before deciding whether I should buy something or not. I just have to step out, and I can buy whatever I want. However, we were shooting for Indian Game Show back-to-back shoots, but I made some time to go shopping for my favourite things and take my children shopping too, because times have changed now)
Talking about how she wants her children, Gola and Kaju, to remember Diwali as they grow up, Bharti said she wants her children to understand that not everyone is fortunate enough to celebrate festivals without financial worries.
She said, “Yes yaar main thoda bataungi ki, diwali me na baat ki cheezein karni chahiye, kyunki diwali hum indians ka hinduo ka bahut bada festival hai, toh mujhe aisa lagta hai apne apne gharo me nahi. Jo log nahi kar sakte, main apne bachon ko ye sikhaungi ki agar aap mithai bhi le rahe ho, toh sab me baanto. Patakhe bhi le rahe ho, sab me baanto. Chahe wo Diwali ho, Eid ho, Dussehra ho, koi bhi cheez ho. Main har festival ko ek tarah se manane ka unko nazariya sikhaungi, aur mil baat ke manao bhai, cheezein baanto, kyunki bahut aise log hain hum bahut lucky hain ki hamein upar wala kaam de raha hai. Bahut saare log hain jo jinke festival aate hain, toh unko udaas ho jaate hain ki paise kahan se laaye. Isliye main apne bachon ko ye sikhaungi ki bhai mil ke manao, apni cheezein dusro me bhi baanto.”
(Yes, I would like to teach them a few things about Diwali. It is a very big festival for us Indians and Hindus, and I feel that we should not celebrate only within our own homes. I will teach my children that if there are people who cannot afford to celebrate, then whatever you buy, whether it is sweets or firecrackers, you should share it with everyone. Whether it is Diwali, Eid, Dussehra or any other festival, I want to teach them to celebrate every festival with the same spirit. Celebrate together and share things with others because we are fortunate that God has given us work and opportunities. There are so many people who become sad when their festivals arrive because they do not know where they will get the money from. That is why I want to teach my children to celebrate together and share what they have with others)
Bharti Singh on the work front is currently seen hosting Indian Game Show with Bharti and Harssh.