HEARTY WISHES FOR DIWALI

 





WISHING MY FRIENDS AND WELL WISHERS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE, A JOYFUL AND PROSPEROUS 

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS.

 

This is a festival which always inspires me to celebrate it in a traditional way as was done in my parents house. Though to bring back that enthusiasm and religious fervour is impossible in the changed life styles, still I do my bit to continue with some practices which give me loads of pleasure and some satisfaction. I'm referring to lighting clay diyas. 

 Today  morning I religously prepared the wicks from the cotton puffs by placing a small piece on my left palm and twisting it patiently into wick shape with the palm of the other. A technique which my dear mother taught me in those heavenly days. I then set the wicks in the diyas and poured mustard oil very carefully to avoid spillage.  Come evening I'll place them at points where the wind won't affect them.

Most part of yesterday was spent by two of us, (who feel more young than, when we were really young) in arranging  multi- colored fancy strings of tiny electric bulbs on the parapet of the roof. We avoid  calling  those ill behaved urchins to do the job. BOTH of us enjoy the personal touch which we imbibe into the activity.

A visit to the Gurudwara to light the candles and offer prayers in  the evening together with visiting a couple of neighbors constitute the evening jobs. Back home to switch on the lights, light the candles and diyas  and soak in the festive spirit while twinkling lights overhead play a game of intriguing shadows around us. Before the neighborhood youth, start exploding deafening bombs and crackers, we come inside. we believe in  enjoying the Green Diwali and exhort others to do the same. 

 At last, there is  time for some indulgences, without which this special festival is incomplete. A free run to our taste buds with our favourite home made delicacies and some sweets from the market  complete the merriments of our little world. The well lighted house is ready to receive the goddess of wealth!

Lots of love and blessings to all !!!

A VERY HAPPY DIWALI !

GOLDEN TEMPLE ON DIWALI NIGHT

Wishing my blog friends a safe and joyous Diwali or Deepawali. It is one festival which signifies fun, fervour and no holds barred festivities.  Diwali is called the king of festivals and is celebrated throughout India as a festival of lights. With the beginning of Navratras Festive spirit takes hold of people, which reaches its crowning glory on Diwali.

Preparations for celebrating this auspicious occasion have been going on for a long time. People get their houses painted and scrupulously cleaned before Diwali and decorate them with bright and shimmering coloured artifacts, eye catching rangoli designs and by hanging new age paper lanterns. Commercial establishments are decked up to receive customers. Special discounts and gifts are announced by automobile companies and electronic goods stores to attract more buyers. In the real estate business also freebies are advertised to raise sales. Even banks exhort the investors to purchase specially minted gold coins as it is considered auspicious to buy gold.

People cook fancy dishes and prepare traditional cuisine in honour of the festival. Men women and children IN THEIR FESTIVE best make a beeline for visiting bazaars and sweet shops. One can’t imagine Diwali without kuch meetha ho jae clamour. Various varieties of designer chocolates have become a craze with youngsters this Diwali.

Though warm bonding and spirit of camaraderie is missing in relationships these days, but people still visit their friends and relatives and exchange gifts.

There is palpable dampness in the buying spree because of inflation, but the mood still is upbeat. Forgetting all worries people join in the fun and frolic unreservedly. Pomp, glitter and lot of fanfare mark the celebrations.

Householders hang multi coloured electric bulb strings on their parapets, around trees and bushes. Earthen lamps filled with mustard oil and cotton wicks represent the traditional way of lighting. In the evenings people go to gurudwaras and temples with offerings of sweets and dry fruits. They pay their obeisance and light candles in their precincts.

Special prayers are conducted at homes to propitiate the goddess of wealth to visit the family and bless them with prosperity

At night crackers are burst and rockets with special shimmers are propelled upwards to the amusement of young and old.

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Let us take a pledge this Diwali to desist from bursting bombs, loud crackers which pollute the atmosphere with dangerous chemicals and raise noise levels which can cause hearing loss. Let us act responsibly for the welfare of all.

Golden temple image: courtesy National Geographic

2nd image: courtesy Google