Wednesday 11 November 2015

Diwali

I wondered why there were so many fireworks exploding. It was the Indian festival day of Diwali, a Hindu "Festival of Light". The biggest they have. Other religions have a festival on the same day. Jains celebrate someone attaining nirvana, Buddhists to celebrate the conversion of Ashoka to Buddhism in about 300 BC.
    People put up fairy flashing lights around pictures and pelmets, just like Christmas. A time to shop, set of fireworks, dress up in new clothes (see the women with their bags of shopping from the markets), give gifts and feast. It celebrates the victory of good over evil. More gods: Lakshmi, Vishnu and Ram. The sort of thing that Wagner wrote operas about.
     India for me is about colour, food, religions, history, chaos, grid iron traffic jams,
railways Bollywood music and much else.

      All the photographs were taken within 100 yards of my backpackers hostel.


 A view of the street outside

A steady hand and good eye is needed to do henna

The veg market just down the street

The vegetable market

Paw paws

A view from my hostel front door




                                                           Marigold garlands for Diwali

ABJECT APOLOGIES FOR THE FOUR IMAGES LYING ON THEIR SIDES. THE OLD PC HAD THREE ATTEMPTS TO GET IT RIGHT. WHEEZING and CONNECTION BREAKAGES
                                                       



1 comment:

Unknown said...

We enjoyed looking and reading :)