...is celebrated as the festival of lights. Diwali started off with a bang (literally) in the wee hours of Saturday (probably 4 am) and is still going on. We got out at 7 am and had a bath, applying liberal amounts of fragrant coconut oil and sandalwood paste to our bodies and rubbing them in to maximise their effect. With glowing, sweet-smelling skins, we donned new clothes, jewellery and sat patiently as my mother-in-law explained and performed the necessary rituals and then brought out the sweets and snacks that Diwali is best remembered for.
Evenings are spent out of doors with some bursting crackers, others hanging out lanterns and creating rangoli designs outside their homes. We took my little neice and her mother out to a mall that they'd never seen before. It glowed like a white elephant with pristine floors and walls all light up with tiny yellow Christmas lights suspended from light-as-air net curtains. We did some quick shopping, took her for some games and fun and concluded our evening with a sumptuous feast.
The three days of Diwali were spent meeting relatives, going to my parents' house, having them come over. Lots of fish, chicken biryani, chocolate cakes (my birthday) and sweets! I'm slowly getting sick of stuffing myself with the calorific sweetness... yet, they're irresistible. As is a sparkler or two and the brilliant lanterns hung outside every home.
It's always sad to bid this festival goodbye and come to grips with reality...aka work!!!
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6 comments:
This sounds incredibly, fantastically lovely! You tell about the holiday so very well.
And a late happy birthday to you!
Thank you Leah! Hugs! :)
Happy birthday! And many happy returns of the day.
Thanks Maria :))
Belated Birthday wishes!!!!
And its obvious u had a scrumptious diwali....how I miss those sweets;-(.
Thanks, Nancy! :)
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