What is your favorite hobby or pastime?
The author reflects on their childhood experiences during the festival of Deepawali. They focus on creating colourful lanterns or “Kandeel” as a beloved pastime. This solitary pursuit provided a sense of self-satisfaction and joy despite lacking external recognition. Over time, hobbies have evolved from personal enjoyment to competitive endeavors, often driven by commercialization. The author emphasizes the personal significance of hobbies. They note that their importance can shift throughout life. Writing and photography have emerged as passions. Although commercialization has tarnished the essence of hobbies, genuine creative expression continues to offer fulfillment and identity.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- The author reflects on their childhood experiences of creating Kandeel during Deepawali, highlighting the joy of personal hobbies.
- Hobbies have evolved from simple enjoyment to competitive and commercial pursuits, impacting their original essence.
- Writing and photography emerge as key passions for the author, providing deep satisfaction and self-expression.
- Despite commercialisation, hobbies still offer fulfilment and a sense of identity, evolving with the individual’s interests over time.
- The pursuit of hobbies fosters creativity and personal growth, making them essential to one’s identity and well-being.
Hidden wish
The festival of lights, “Deepawali”, has been a festival of joy for children, and I was no exception. Despite the odds, I reminisce occasionally, and the children and peers would feel happy and upbeat. It used to be a time for me to do something extra. It was a hidden wish to get noticed and find appreciation. Whether I got it or not was unimportant, but I got self-satisfaction. So, on each “DEEPAWALI” I used to make “Kandeel”, a colourful lantern also called “Aakash Deep”. I did not know that it would be known as a “Hobby” or a “Pastime”.
Sense of achievement
No one ever helped me in my venture, nor did they oppose it. Their ostensible indifference was my source of inspiration. I would collect bamboo twigs and trim them to the desired length. Then I tied them into a square to prepare eight such squares. After tying them together in a pattern, covered them with coloured cellophane. Once decorated, I hung it with an ablaze earthen lamp inside. I watched it slowly swing in the mild breeze. The flickering flame of the earthen lamp filled me with a sense of achievement. It brought me joy. I would feel elevated, but no one else, apparently, appreciative. I kept my “creative” pursuit burning in me, which is a source of solace and joy till today.
Start of journey
This was how my journey to “Hobby” started. It was a humble start without being noticed and solely for self-satisfaction and joy. It was when the commercialisation was in an incipient stage. Later, with time, the term “Hobby” became a fashion, and people started flaunting it. It exerted pressure on those genuinely pursuing their hobby. The innocent activity transformed into a ferociously aggressive mission where people vying to gain material wealth by “showcasing” their “talent”. It sounds harsh and rude, but it is the reality of time. Nevertheless, it must not be construed as a regressive mindset. I vehemently support creative cultural and emotional expression and appreciate it.
hobbies are relaxing
Activities of these sorts which give pleasure and relaxation, done in leisure hours have been termed “Hobby”. Hobbies shift their place in the persona of an individual. One thing that gives pleasure occupies a back seat when another, more alluring, takes its seat to become number one. Though the first never dies; it expresses itself occasionally. In later years, besides “Kandeel”, I began creating cutouts of letters. I arranged them aesthetically to form slogans for various occasions. I would then show these as banners.
A hobby, as said earlier, has a shifting pattern. People do what pleases them in recesses. Some like reading, some writing, while some want simply to sit and cogitate. The verities are endless. Thus, categorising an activity as a hobby or a pastime is tricky. Still, it is not onerous. Hobbies, nevertheless, are instrumental in personality improvement. An individual unconsciously picks up a hobby or two according to their latent personality trait. (Reality Pathing)
hobbies wanes with increasing pressure
A hobby is personally fruitful only when it pleases. It becomes rewarding when it gives more than self-satisfaction and joy in material terms. Yet, a ludicrous and gaudy show of it lands nowhere. Its effect is like the sparkle of a firework, which dies down soon. It doesn’t keep its long presence like that of an incense stick. Creativity declines rapidly when it becomes commercialised to generate earnings. This decline occurs primarily because it must be produced in bulk to meet the demand. The creative objects are costly because of their total human involvement.
A few out of many
(A) Writing gives pleasure
I have likings for many activities. My hobbies include Origami, Paper cutting, Doodling, Reading, Philately, Photography and Writing. Yet some are more than hobbies, to the level of passion. The top of them all is writing. Writing gives me pleasure and satisfaction. The words float in front of eyes and strife to take their place. Playing with them is simply enchanting, though I am a novice in the art of using words. Words, when used appropriately create magic. I feel their mesmerizing effect while reading old classics. Reading allows me to peep inside myself. It becomes my companion. Besides giving me a source of in-depth knowledge, I am a slow reader and take time to finish a book.
(b) Photography a Passion
Photography is the genre of a medium of expression that occupies an important place in my mind. I tasted its taste during my childhood days when I used to watch my maternal uncle developing and printing photographs. His work of dipping films and photographic papers in the solution of developer and fixer was amazing. It amused me when pictures would come up on the paper after submerging them in a solution! Photography has evolved into not just a source of delight. It also enhances my writing. It enriches the content of my written work.
In the end
Compartmentalising interests in the word “hobby” does no justice. Excellent activities drench us with joy. They offer a sense of accomplishment and give us an identity. A hobby, for the lack of a better word, when excelled, becomes a skill, a source of livelihood and fame. Though excessive cutthroat competition and commercialisation have eroded its charm to a lesser extent, it still beats everything else.
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