Escape Artists

Escape Pod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: divs on October 25, 2019, 06:36:24 PM

Title: EP703: Light and Death on the Indian Battle Station
Post by: divs on October 25, 2019, 06:36:24 PM
Escape Pod 703: Light and Death on the Indian Battle Station
 (http://escapepod.org/2019/10/24/escape-pod-703-light-and-death-on-the-indian-battle-station/)


Author : Keyan Bowes
Narrator : Farah Naz Rishi
Host : S.B. Divya
Audio Producer : Adam Pracht

Inheritance is an Escape Pod original.

---

Diwali, the Festival of Lights is a magical time of the year, even on the Indian Battle Station. A hundred tiny oil-lamps decorated our apartment, glimmering along window ledges, glowing at the corners of the rangoli floor pattern, shining in the little niche with the image of Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity.

“Savitri!” My sister Ritika called me, a glittering sparkler illuminating her excited face as she held out the firework.  “Here! Light yours for the spinners!”

My sparkler spluttered into flowers of light as I touched it to hers. Mom and Ritika quickly moved out of the way and I ignited three ground spinners. The gunpowder-scented coils flung a scarf of fiery sparks across the balcony.

We were the lucky ones. I breathed in the scents of Diwali, smoke from the fireworks, incense from the Lakshmi niche, the warm coconut smell of Diwali sweets sitting on an ornate silver tray. Our cousins down in Delhi celebrated with strings of LED lights and chocolate and factory-made fireworks from China. It wasn’t the same.


(http://escapepod.org/wp-images/podcast-mini4.gif) Listen to this week’s Escape Pod! (https://traffic.libsyn.com/escapepod/Escape_Pod_703_Light_and_Life_on_the_Indian_Battle_Station.mp3)
Title: Re: EP703: Light and Death on the Indian Battle Station
Post by: CryptoMe on February 25, 2020, 07:25:16 PM
Interesting blend of space opera and cultural folklore. I particularly enjoyed that the folklore wasn't British, or even European. Always good to remember that Earth has many different cultures present.