Things I miss from India - Diwali Version

I could not resist writing a post on this label, on this day. It is Deepavali, or Diwali today! Happyy Diwallliiiiii !!! *puts a sweet into your mouth

For those of you who don't know, Diwali is India's best-loved Festival and famously called 'Festival Of Lights'. The festival gets its name from rows (avali) of lamps (diya/deepa) that Indians light outside their homes - to symbolize the inner light that protects us from the outside spiritual darkness. The festival is as important to Hindus, as Christmas is
for Christians. There are different stories, that narrate the origin and celebration reasons of Diwali. It is not just the festive mood, or the fact that you get to eat yummy sweets, or that you would meet friends and family, there is simple happiness everywhere in the air. 

Festivals in India, are always filled with friends and family greeting each other, beautiful Rangoli, new clothes, and special TV programs. On a Diwali Night,
taking a stroll in your two-wheeler, can give you a spectacular view of diyas - in different patterns, in different sizes. We used to go especially to see how people have decorated their porches with Rangolis and lamps on compounds. Some big, some colorful, some with curly-wurly designs and some more with lamps in the middle of Rangolis - there just wouldn't be enough to see!  

Lights shimmer - and eyes glitter on a Diwali Night. The Festive mood begins a week before the day. The shopping streets would be filled with people to buy new clothes, teens would be delighted to get their hands on latest of fashions, people hang string of electric lamps at their house-entrances, teen boys and men would rush to book their tickets for first-day-first-show of Diwali-releasing movies, women make huge amounts of sweets to greet each other and the highlight of all of these - the Fireworks' crackling sales !

Diwali usually begins with my dad shopping clothes for himself just the previous day, after mom's sentimental talk (Dad would buy mom, sis and me a minimum of 3 sets of dresses each, their accessories, jewelry and everything totally ready- and hence the talk), a pooja, and then going to relatives' houses, greeting and chit-chatting with them. As the sun droops down, the kids would charge up - yes, the sparklers, crackers that rotate in floor, those that give out colored flames, those that burn out with a whistling sound, long snakes, pencils, flowerpots, rockets, 50-shots (These go up in the sky and burst out to 50 different types of fireworks - one at a time- so we stare at the sky, mesmerized for 5 minutes atleast), atom bombs (Jeez, I hate them - ear drums tear off) and Oh the rollcaps (My sis used to have so much joy seeing me scare at her firing these shotguns - why wouldn't she be, she's 6 yrs younger to me and fires this, while I don't - lol). 

This year, I heard they have launched 3D-Crackers first time in India ! They are based on Pyro Technique. These 3D crackers comes in a pack with a 3D Glass. The light effect can be seen through these glasses itseems. Wow, sounds really awesome! And there are  18 varieties of 3D Crackers available in the market like Roman candles, aerial shells etc., Even more, they are sound and pollution-free! Electrifying Electric crackers are also hot on sale this year - ooo...

All of this, while watching special TV shows, catching up with families and happiness is in the air. Huh, I so miss them. Here, S and I will do pooja at home (after he's back from office) and we will go for a dinner in our new clothes, with friends, perhaps. I am still pondering if I should make a sweet or not, hmm. But hey, it's Okie - Know what? We are celebrating Diwali this year too, in my city here in Germany - and we'll have all of these : sweets, chaats, pooja, Indian food, friends, dance (psst - I'm dancing in the event -wohoo), sparklers, greeting each other, fun and fireworks (well, not the family - but then) and so for me, Diwali is yet to come.

Comments

  1. I enjoy Diwali and wish it was a soundless one (with fireworks but no noise)
    All said and done, the sound pollution this year was appreciably low.

    ReplyDelete

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