With those aureate gleaming coins
Dropping from her hand
Ma Laxmi arrives
Blessing us with the other hand
Seated on a Lotus
And adorned with a tiara of stars
She smiles
As she graces our households
Along with Ganpati, Saraswati
Kuber and Dhanvantri
Unfolding the mystery
That wealth (Laxmi)cannot be gained without knowledge (Saraswati) and wisdom (Ganpati)
And that it (wealth -Kuber) cannot be enjoyed in absence of health (Dhanvantri)
Days in advance people in all their enthusiasm
Clean their households and prepare delicious sweets
To welcome Ma Laxmi in their ornamented abodes
The aroma of oil and delicacies being prepared
As everyone prepared to please Ma Laxmi with mouthwatering prasad
Young and old alike
Dressed in new fancy attire
Celebrating merrily with great passion and fervour
Sounds of Aarti reverberate in the atmosphere
As these darkest nights are illuminated by small earthen Diyas
Children run around in groups bursting crackers and sparklers
And elders wish each other, A Happy New Year
Diwali, Deepawali, Shyama pooja or Mahanisha
Different may be names in different states
But the essence remains the same
The triumph
Of light over darkness
Of Good over evil
Of happiness over sorrow
And that of knowledge over ignorance
Let us also learn something from this festival
And make it a point to treat everyone as equal
Rich or poor, dark or fair
Everyone has the right to smile and pleasure
Ler there not be a household where a child sleeps hungry
And let there be no one who feels lonely
Let us learn from Dhanvantri and Ganpati
And share the wisdom of Laxmi and Saraswati
Let us be like the elephant having qualities inordinate
And like that lotus that blooms in mud but remains vibrant
Let us be like the owl representing loyalties, penetrating sight, and intelligence
And also transcend materialism toward spiritual wealth
Let us all focus on society and community welfare rather than satisfying selfish grief
And bring out the real essence of Diwali