The best written Deepavali ad ever.

Out of all the Deepavali ads I read in the papers, the one by Maxis was the best. Not only did it have cultural significance, it was very well linked to communication - Maxis being a communication service provider. And it really moved me. This was the most meaningful of all the ads (unlike the rest of them, which featured mostly pictures and stuff, and definitely unlike Skol Beer's mishap - they replaced the lamp in the middle of the kolam with a bottle of Skol Beer and this caused furore among the Indian community !).

For those who didn't read it (or have no clue of what this ad was), I'm providing the text (after all, it's mostly text) - credit goes to Maxis :

"How do you unravel a murukku ?" I asked my mother.

Her eyes rolled heavenwards as a soft, tender sigh escaped her clenched lips : "Kirukku payale."

I was relieved when she laid the ladle down before turning to me.

"Have some oomapodhi," she said.
It just gets better, I thought.

"Is it tasty ? Now, take just one. Not one handful ! Katrika ! (troisnyx* : I LOL-ed at that one - that interjection is usually used on people who are greedy/obese) Just take one little one, a strand."

And I did, being suitably well-trained.

"How does it taste ?"
"Can't taste a thing," I replied.
"Because, alone, it is insignificant. But, put it together with more strands, and what do you get ?"
"Oomapodhi," I said.

"And why do you think we serve this on Deepavali when guests visit ?"

A tiny light shone in my head. "Erm, because celebrations are something to be shared - as in the more the merrier ?" I asked.

"Clever boy."
"So, how do you---"
"Everything is intertwined and interconnected. Go water the garden."

That was years ago. I finally put away childish things and became a man. And I no longer wonder how to unravel murukku. I know better.

Oh, and by the way, Happy Deepavali.