I was riding my bike down the street on a late evening.
Vrooom! Two missiles flew by!
There were bombs set off all around..
Right in front of me two big ones went off.
Could hear Bofors guns firing continuously in the next street..
As I continued to ride, I had to zig zag to avoid the land mines laid all along!
Two small kids were doing some research on rocket launching, analysing the cause for a failed rocket launch!
Some other kids were patrolling the streets with loaded guns!
It was like in the midst of a war zone! Probably second world war looked like this?
Or does it sound like a normal scene in Afghanistan/Iraq?
Nope, just another way of describing the festival of lights in India – Diwali or Deepavali :)
Loads and loads of crackers were burnt making the night sky colorful! Yes, a lot of NOISE pollution was there too.. If some cracker didn’t work, people were heard making fun saying probably it must be Made in China ;)
It was a heaven on earth with lamps lighted everywhere in the evenings. Hindus believe that lighting lamps is auspicious and putting off a lighted lamp as inauspicious. Lamp gives light and light represents knowledge. Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya , an ancient vedic quote which prays to god to lead us from darkness towards light, from ignorance towards knowledge.
Today is the last and final day of Deepavali. And we all had a wonderful festive time :)
An Indian girl lighting Diwali lamps
Happy Deepavali to all Indian friend’s who is celebrating this event.
From,
Lai
Malaysia
Thanks Lai, wish you a great time too full of lights, knowledge and joy.
treking in ZOO lol!!must be an awesome experience… ;)
Vijay I planned thrice to go lake district but cudnt make it for some or the other stupid reasons….
western Ghat … I was in Bangalore for 6 months but just visited Bheemeshwari and conoor, and bandipur jungles… and I liked the places [Bangalore not included :)]
I hope when people go through this post they will blame us for taking topic to utter different direction.. from Diwali to UK :))
Ruchi
Thanks cheers mate.. yes :)
I cannot forget how confused I was when I asked for Curd at an iceland shop there.. they showed me butter, milk, cheese what not.. but not curd!!
I even spelled it out! No use :(
Only later I came to know that they call it Yogurt!
I remember there when a brit asked me “”which sandwich do you want”” for lunch, I said, “”in India we eat bread only when we are not keeping well”” ;)
He was so surprised and said, “”then in UK we are not well everyday””!
vijay, I had been to places like elham, dover, scotland, canterbury, ashford etc… no havent been to lake district.
In london once I asked a brit colleague, “”is there any forest around here?””, since I was missing my western ghats treks there in UK…
He suggested me to catch I think Bakerloo line and get down at Regent’s park!!! I was surprised to hear that there was a forest so close to central London!!
Only after I checked the maps to see what was there did I come to know that, it was London Zooooooo !!!!! Trekking inside zooooooooo???????
I wonder if any of you guys have been to lake district, its just awesome, equivalent to our western ghats.
Hey no issue, thanks cheers mate… This will remind you of your stay in UK ;), its chilling here… I am desperately looking to come back ASAP…
I too like country side of Europe, loved Edinburg and its country side… but badluck I am situated at London and its any other crowded Metro :( ‘Organised Mumbai’… anyways this too has its own charm… better I should stop cribing…
:)
Definitely Ruchi, fireworks of Diwali are a celebration..
I was just kidding on Iraq/Afghanistan. Thought will make a joke, looks like it became a PJ :)
Hmm when I was there in London in peak summer I loved it so much bcos Sun came so early and stayed back till so late in the evening, enabling me to roam UK even after office hours!! But as December approached I desperately wanted to come back to India, sun was hardly seen and the weather was so gloomy. I used to think, are yaar ye kahan aa ke phas gaya main :)
But during Christmas and new year time, it will be great there, lots of discounts, sales, offers.. nice time to shop ;)
and also I simply love the european country side, I spent most of my time in UK at Kent, very beautiful with the atlantic ocean all around, in fact the ocean was right in front of my house!
Thanks for bringing back those nice memories :)
Have a great time!
I hope you all in India had nice diwali… this is time I missed home and all the fun…
I second what you mentioned chigarambotla no doubt Diwali is the only hindu festival which is celebrated world wide, I am in London and with 6 Million Desis here it was celebrated in grand scale? but not like Des :-(
Hey Guru, I reckon the diwali celebrations can?t be compared from the one in Iraq/Afghan? [Fireworks in Diwali give reasons to celebrate. other takes off all :-(]
Well wish you all a VeRy HaPpy DeEpaWali.. wishes are late but I will keep off “”belated”” :-)
Divali is becoming official festival of India all over the world.
It is great!!
Haha
no I dont hate China, its a nice country.. The chinese people are hard working and talented as well.
What I do not like are the policies of the Chinese Communist party.
Seems like u hate china like anything…haha
Good post n well compiled…
Although diwali is a hindu festival ,it has become more of a national festival ..nowadays every indian celebrating diwali(atleast in rural areas) …I recently moved to US..So, i am really missing all fireworks,social gatherings n home made sweets ….I think every NRI feels the same…