Diwali

It's the hottest holiday in the world right now. Barack Obama was the first US President to recognize it two years ago at the White House. The Festival of Lights celebrates the triumph of Light over Darkness and the Indian Diaspora is making it one of the biggest celebrations in the world. Today, the 26th of October is officially Diwali. It's another day determined by the lunar calendar so it is a different day every year. People began celebrating on the weekend by shooting off rockets and fireworks as soon as it got dark on Friday and continuing Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night. Last night it went on pretty much continuously with a rocket from somewhere every 10 seconds of so from 830pm to about 11pm. Tonight, on Diwali proper, it started at 8pm and is still going strong at midnight. I'm talking about 4 or 5 audible booms per second for four hours and that's just what I can hear and see from where I am in my hotel, which is more or less random and not particularly near anywhere. The fireworks are private and everyone just buys as much boom as they can afford and starts shooting. If there's a municipal display somewhere it must be in South Mumbai, but really, it's not required. There are fireworks 360 degrees all the time at every distance. If like me, you never get tired of fireworks, come to Mumbai at Diwali. It never stops. The city is now shrouded in smoke and still it goes on and on and on.

Fireworks as seen from my hotel looking across Mumbai's Juhu district

The beach shrouded in smoke from the Diwali fireworks

In the offices and homes, the traditions of Diwali are little candles called diyas symbolizing the coming of light, offerings of food and fireworks, the hanging of lanterns and the creation of rangolis which are colorful sand paintings in traditional forms.

Here's the prep for the making of the rangolis (Photo by Naresh Paliwal)

and here's one of the results

Photo by Ahinsa Panya Patel

It's also a time for traditional dress. It is a custom to wear new clothes on Diwali. Last week I bought clothes for the occasion, nothing too fancy but Indian in style and with some nice stitching. I wore it Tuesday as that was the day that offices celebrate Diwali. I'm happy to say that was big hit with the folks at work. It was fun for me to see all the finery and learn about Diwali and share the day with all the people doing the hard work. Quite fun and lovely. 

The holiday continues through the weekend and as I will be traveling to Delhi tomorrow I may see how they do it up north as well.