Happy Diwali, everyone!
I found this begonia which seemed to mirror the look and mood of the festive season so well that I decided to make her the star of this post. Is it just me or do you see the fireworks in the first photo and the diya in the second one too?I know, this post is a bit late and I should've wished you a couple of days ago but the struggle of Good over Evil was literally taking place in me . I was completely being slammed around the place by the most pestilential flu virus there ever was and as many fireworks as were being lit outside, I could feel ten times that number flashing and burning in my head.
(Which is why I'm checking whether I'm still in the grip of fevered imaginations regarding those first 2 photos )
And for being so nice about it, I'll leave you with a couple of photos of the real thing which I saw outside. By the way, kids are still in the fireworks mood all over Mumbai. I love the colourful ones but totally hate the noisy ones that leave me with a ringing zzzzing in my ears.
With all the fancy fireworks being invented each year, I wish they would bend their creativity a little bit to come up with some non-polluting ones soon.
But aren't they just happy-making beautiful?sigh... ! I love festivals!
Any festival. Of any religion, state or nation. Something which brings joy and celebration is always a good thing, isn't it?
And the sweets aren't half bad, either.
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Isnt it so nice to be in Mumbai for Diwali... *sigh!*
ReplyDeleteLovely pics as usual!!
Oh.. and Happy Diwali!
Happy Diwali to you Sunita and hopefully you are feeling much better by now. Your photos are stunning and do capture the magic of lights... both in the flower close ups and the actual fireworks. Beautiful. Carol
ReplyDeleteSunita - I hope you are feeling much, much better now.
ReplyDeleteThe begonia really is the star of the show - beautiful
K
Happy Diwali,Patricia. Mumbai is definitely the place to be for Diwali. The sweets, the fireworks, shopping , the whole atmosphere ...mmmm!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol. And a happy Diwali to you too.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm much better now which is why I've finally got back to my computer. I was beginning to feel like I had lost a limb without it!
Thanks, Karen. Its so aggravating that something as pesky as a flu virus can turn all plans upside down. I had these lovely glass star-shaped lamps which I wanted to hang in my balcony for Diwali but that had to remain in its bubble-wrap this year. And I had a whole lot of new recipes for sweets that I wanted to try out but that remained in the book. Oh well, next year ...
Would like to wish you a lovely Diwali, here in my place, we call it Deepavali.
ReplyDeleteHope you are totally recovered and catch up with all your celebration plans with family & friends.
Happy Diwali!
ReplyDeleteThere are very few things nastier than to be down with flu on a festive day. Hope you are feeling better now.
Well, I think that was the last you have seen of flu this year as most of the bacteria and viruses have been taken care of by the choking Diwali pollution.
Sunita sorry to hear that you were ill and glad to know that you are feeling better. We have a small Hindu population here on the island so they had their Diwali celebrations privately and was featured in the newspaper. I can imagine how disappointed you were, with all those new things you bought to celebrate and couldn't. Well you could do it for Christmas if you celebrate it. It has become like another festival of lights for homes. Well take care of yourself and get well soon. A big hug to you!
ReplyDeleteI found you through "Best of the Web Blogs." Love this, my first reading from yours! Happy Diwali :- )
ReplyDeleteThose are appropriate flower images! I'm sorry to hear you were under the weather. I hate being ill. It takes all the fun out of not being at work. I'm glad your good immune system triumphed over the evil virus!
ReplyDeleteOn Diwali I lit a bunch of candles on a shiny tray at dinner time and let them burn all evening. After I went to bed I could hear fireworks but since there are so many trees around our house I couldn't see any. Thanks for sharing the holiday with us!
Thanks, James! Happy Deepavali to you too.
ReplyDeleteDeepavali is the original Sanskrit name and is still used in most parts of South India, including Tamil Nadu (which would explain why that's the version that's more well-known in your country) . Most people in northern India, though, call it Diwali. Yes, thanks, I'm almost 99% fit ... just a bit of crankiness to get rid of ;)
Happy Diwali, GT! Hope you've been having a fantastic time?
ReplyDeleteActually I can put up with almost any degree of pain without much problem but a lousy cold can lay me flat and feeling like the most miserable person in the world. The worst part is that I look it too! :P
But I liked what you said... there are upsides to pollution too. Who would've believed it!
Helen, of course I celebrate Christmas. And Easter and Holi and Navratri and Gudi Padwa and Onam and Lohri and Eid and ... well, you get the point, right :D I'm one festival-happy person. Anything that's being celebrated in the vicinity and I'm more than happy to join in.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I could see how Diwali is celebrated in other lands. As traditional as people may try to be there are always local influences that show up and that's always so interesting.
Hi Steve! Great to see you here. I did get an e-mail from the Best of the Web Blogs people that The Urban Gardener has been listed there but didn't get a chance to check it out yet. So its fantastic to see people coming over from there already. And even nicer to hear that you've enjoyed it. Thanks! And Happy Diwali to you too :)
ReplyDeleteShady C, I know exactly what you mean about not going to work but being too ill to enjoy it :D
ReplyDeleteActually I was feeling too miserable to feel anything but self-pity (tastes lousy, let me tell you!)
That must've been one grand dinner that you had. I love the look of candle-light and diyas softly gleaming.
I'm glad you could enjoy Diwali even though so sick. Good to see you back. We have many cultures here in Vancouver and we can (and do) celebrate with them all. Your photos are always so vibrant - that first one is HOT!. This is what Mumbai looks like in my imagination: bright and hot.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a Happy Diwali Sunita with a lot of light and treats. Tyra
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling well now. And no, there is nothing wrong with your imagination, the pictures are just lovely and are definitely evocative of Deepavali!
ReplyDeleteYes, I love any and all festivals from around the world and of all religions, especially if they involve good food!
I hope you had a safe & wonderful diwali celebrations! and how are you feeling now? i hope flu is gone and u r back in spirits
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are just beautiful and matches the festive mood.
Stephanie, that's the best part about living in a city, isn't it? There are so many different cultures at play and you get to enjoy all of them.
ReplyDeleteBy the way,you left out 'colourful' :D Mumbai has to be one of the most colourful places ever.
Right now, I wish it weren't quite so hot and I'm thinking that Vancouver with its much cooler climate sounds heavenly.
Thanks, Tyra. Maybe I shouldn't treat myself quite so much but those Diwali sweets are something else! ;)
ReplyDeleteKamini, yo're just making me more and more convinced that we're soul-sisters. The good food is such a major part of enjoying the festival for me too ;D
Happy Deepavali!
Happy Diwali, Zindagi! How were the festivities in Kullu? Diwali in the mountains must be truly magical. I'm picturing rows of diyas with those magnificent mountains in the background. sigh ... I love the Kullu valley!
And thanks, I'm perfectly okay now as you must be able to make out with me dreaming of a trip to the Himalayas sometime, anytime.
Hope you had a wonderful Diwali. The shots are beautiful, and totally diwali-sh!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Urban Green. Diwali day was pretty miserable for me but I'm making up for it now ;D
ReplyDeleteHope you're doing well now, and have recovered completely.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a wonderful Diwali Sunita.
ReplyDeleteThe begonia shot is beautiful with lovely details...Thomas
Yes, I'm fine now, Anil, and running after butterflies already :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Thomas :)
Diwali was a bit of a flop for me but I definitely made up for it later!
Hi Sunita, hope you are up and running by now. Belated Diwali wishes to you too :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Diwali to you too, Bindu. Yes, I'm fit and fine and running around again :D
ReplyDeleteA bit late... Happy Diwali! ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteThousand apologies, I wanted to come here to wish you a Happy Diwali, but completely forgot it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Diwali, Sunita! Enjoyed seeing all those fireworks (literally and metaphorically speaking) during your cricket.
Beautiful and lovely shots !! Beautiful and lovely !!Unseen Rajasthan
ReplyDeleteSorry I took so long to reply, Bangchik. Happy Diwali to you too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Diwali, Amila. And no apologies needed. I'm afraid I didn't watch cricket at all this time.
Thanks, UR :)
A belated Happy Diwali to you ! And I prefer the beautiful fireworks in the flowers to the real one! I also posted against the noisy fireworks... which frighten the birds and animals too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Diwali to you too, IHM. I dont like the noisy fireworks either. I really can't see any point to them. after all, it's the Festival of Lights, not one of Noise. To make it worse, some people try to pump up the festival atmosphere by playing extra-loud, booming 'music'. At night, out in the open. And all the birds and butterflies just rose up out of the trees and kept flying here and there in panic.
ReplyDelete