The Sparks Above the Riverfront

• Ravi Ila Bhatt

Ten-year-old Reyansh and his twelve-year-old sister, Ananya, leaned eagerly over the railings of balcony of his house near Kankaria Lake. The cool autumn breeze carried the sweet aroma of fresh jalebis and crisp fafda from the bustling streets. Dussehra evening had arrived, transforming the city into a glowing spectacle of lights and joyous cheers.
Across the open ground, an enormous, towering effigy of Ravana with ten fierce heads loomed against the twilight sky. Fireworks crackled in the distance, and crowds gathered, buzzing with excitement to witness the victory of light over darkness.
Yet, between the siblings, an unseen cloud lingered.
Just that morning, their cousin Shanaya had arrived from Mumbai for the festive vacation. Shanaya had proudly brought along a miniature robotic drone she had built for her school science fair. Reyansh had wanted to take it outside immediately to film their society’s celebrations, but Shanaya politely asked him to wait until she calibrated the sensors. In a flash of impatience, Reyansh grabbed the remote control anyway. Within seconds, the drone clipped a wall and crashed, snapping one of its delicate propeller blades.
Shanaya had burst into tears, and Reyansh, too stubborn to admit fault, had snapped, "It was fragile anyway! It's just a toy!"
As the sun sank below the horizon, casting amber reflections across the river, their grandfather, Keshav Dadu, called the children together near a quiet bench under a neem tree.
"Dadu, look how huge Ravana is!" Shanaya said softly, trying to break her own silence. "Why do we burn him every single year? The story ended thousands of years ago."
Dadu smiled warmly, gathering Shanaya, Reyansh and her elder sibling Meera beside him. "The historical battle ended, beta, but the spiritual one happens inside us every single day."
"Ravana was not weak or foolish," Dadu explained gently. "He had immense knowledge, talent, and strength. But his ten heads represent the ten inner flaws that destroy a person from within—flaws like anger, pride, jealousy, greed, and ego. When ego takes over, our wisdom burns away."
Dadu placed a hand on Reyansh’s shoulder, then on Shanaya’s. "In our modern world, we communicate across screens, build drones, and achieve big dreams. Yet, relations break in seconds over small arguments. Why? Because we feed our inner Ravana, our stubborn ego and let our bonds shatter. True spirituality isn't just about watching an effigy burn on a ground. Dussehra truly happens when you burn your pride before it burns your relationship with someone you love."
The words resonated deeply within the cool evening air. Reyansh glanced at Shanaya. He saw the genuine sadness in her eyes.
Right then, a blazing golden arrow struck the effigy across the ground. A deafening roar erupted as fire consumed Ravana. Golden sparks soared into the night sky, illuminating the riverfront in brilliant crimson and gold.
Turning away from the flames, Reyansh stepped toward Shanaya.
"I'm really sorry, Shanaya," Reyansh said sincerely, his voice steady. "I was impatient, and I spoke rudely because I didn't want to admit I was wrong. When we get home, we can fix your drone together."
Shanaya looked surprised, and then a bright smile swept across her face. "Thank you, Reyansh. We’ll rebuild it together—stronger this time."
Watching the embers drift harmlessly into the dark sky, the children realized that conquering anger and choosing love was the greatest victory
of all.
Moral:
The real spirit of Dussehra lies in burning away our inner ego, pride, and anger. Cherishing relationships with kindness, humility, and forgiveness is the highest form of victory.