India, Oct. 19 -- It's that time of the year when we fritter away a fortune in the hope of inviting the Goddess of Wealth into our door.

So much of the Dhanteras and Diwali consumerist blitzkrieg is ironically devoted to blowing up wealth to beckon the Goddess of Wealth.

Diwali season"s entire economy is egged on by this curious consumerist cycle --- splurging wealth and more wealth, sometimes entire savings, in the appeasement of the Goddess of Wealth, all in the hope of attracting more wealth, so that next season we can fritter away more wealth on a Diwali that's frilly, fatter and fancier.

Ah, but there exist societal elements who prefer shortcuts rather than plodding to please the Goddess. Sometimes, shortcuts boomerang.

Such was ...