Episode 26: The Legacy of Ram in Exile and at Home: A Diwali Special from Chitrakoot and Ayodhya

Naved Aslam smiles the sweetest smile you’ve seen in your life when asked about Diwali. In his blue, collared shirt, his jet black hair parted neatly to one side, he says, “Bahut maze se manaate hain (We celebrate with great enjoyment). Papa-mummy bring crackers and I celebrate with my brothers and sisters.” Diwali is five days away when we meet Naved who is full of anticipation. “Diwali toh khushiyon ka tyohaar hai  (Diwali is the festival of happiness),” he explains. And what do festivals bring if not happiness?   The week before Diwali in Bundelkhand, Khabar Lahariya senior reporter, Nazni Rizvi has set out to understand what it’s like to be a resident of a physical space that is saturated