Last week, I was busy with Chhath puja, which forced me to ignore the world somewhat. It is a four-day festival that culminates on the sixth day after Diwali (thus the name) when devotees worship the rising sun. The person actually doing the puja undergoes gradually increasing periods of fasting; the third day and fourth morning are the toughest. Despite the fast's rigours, you need not necessarily seal yourself off from reality. Twitterverse (my favoured social media, along with Instagram) is readily available. Also, in theory, it's a good time for some reading and I have about 70 books piled in my bedroom and 400 on my iPad, waiting to be read. Also, there's TV and the streaming services if you just feel like vegetating.

A devotee offers prayers to the sun god during Chhath Puja on Friday. Pic/AFP