Happy Diwali

Of all the Diwali stories I heard as a kid, one particularly made an impression on me.

Legend has it, that they was once an asur King Bali who was preparing for the grandest yagna of all times. Millions of sacks of rice, half of the earth's flowers and fountains of ghee were prepared in anticipation of this auspicious pooja. As he continued with this yagna, people from all over the world flooded his court for blessings and alms and the great king did not let anyone retun empty handed.
It was only a matter of time before Lord Bramha became pleased with King Bali and granted him a boon or two for his service and penance.
Up on the clouds with sterling silver linings - the gods were restless and worried that Bali once privy to so much power would misuse it much along the lines of Ravana, Narkasura and other instances.
Agitated and Worried - the approached Lord Vishnu and pleaded with him to stop Bali's yagna.
Lord Vishnu - crafty as ever took the form of a small dwarf and approached King Bali's court.
King Bali - eager to wrap up the rituals told the little dwarf that any wish of his would be granted.
The little dwarf asked for 3 steps. King Bali laughed and said that ofcourse he could take three steps - and own whatever he covered - hardly a worry with his little dwarfy feet.
So in his first step the little dwarf covered all of the earth.
In his second step, he covered all of the sky.
Then he asked King Bali - where there was room for the third step ?
King Bali realised that he was in august company and bowed before the dwarf and offered his head and the third step.
Lord Vishnu stepped on his head and buried him deep in the earth...granting him allowance to reappear once a year on earth on one of the Diwali days.

Even as a kid, I guess I was prone to be a little more realistic than not, so the usual magic and magnanimity of traditional mythological folklore was handled by me with a dash of disbelief.
So when I read this particular story in a diwali edition of chandamama - I wondered how could it be possible. For a little dwarf to cover the entire earth in one step. And then the sky.
Enjoyed the story with the spoon of pratical questioning that would end up being an integral part of my years to come.

Life has proved to be quite an interesting journey since.
And I have to concede. That it is possible.
Maybe not physically - but metaphorically.
That one small step could be the difference between success and failure,
One small step could be the choice between happiness and sadness.
One small step could be the bridge between friendship and indifference.
One small step could be the turning point when you regained control of the world.
Your world nonetheless.
And even the longest most life changing jounrey - would always begin with the one small step.
Which was the hardest step to take. But the most important one.
Which was not to be discounted or marginalized in any way, because it was this first small step that would change the game.
And in a way that made sense to you and you alone, this one step would conquer the earth and then the next would could take over the sky and change the balance of things in your life slowly but surely.
I have seen it happen. Not in the times of the dragons. But in this life and in this time.
And that is my Diwali story.
Happy Diwali