Diwali--A CELEBRATION OF LIGHT

 We have had the chance to celebrate several holidays in India. This last one was my favorite--Diwali. It is all about celebrating light overcoming and chasing away the darkness. There is religious reasons behind it and I love that it plays out in so many ways. 

It has been so much fun to see all of the bright colors, the flowers and the lights all over the city. At work we all work beautiful clothes--much to my delight. Each day I could wear something that sparkled! HAHA. In many ways it is like Christmas in Western countries with the twinkle lights, the family gatherings, the gifts, and the good tidings. 

We spent plenty of time out shopping. It is always bustling and crowded in the streets, but it was more so this week why people were out shopping for the holiday. We had fun exploring it all! We stopped to buy fireworks and jewelry from vendors on the street. We shopped in stores that were gleaming and air conditioned and we shopped in stalls that were wedged between the sweaty body packed sidewalk and the chaotic streets. We met good people in all of them. 

Artisans use colorful sand to make rangoli--or beautiful designs on the ground. Both Muggles loved making their own rangoli during art classes at school. 

Flowers and jewels are placed over entrances to homes and stores to welcome positivity, light and prosperity. 

We went shopping for some jewelry. It was so much fun to see it all. So many beads and glittering stones. Most of it was not real jewelry, but it was still fun to see it all. 

We wondered down tight alleyways doing more shopping. Each stall called our for our attention to come buy from their collections. 

Lucky Dragon wanted some fireworks to light. I was proud of him for going to a few tables until he found one that was offering a good price. 

As they say in Disney's Tiki Room, "...Look at all the people!" 

I was proud of Lady Hiva. She, too,  was willing bargain. That is not something that she likes to do, so I was glad that she was willing to jump in there and buy things. Usually she chooses something and I do the bargaining. (Otherwise she agress to prices that are WAY TOO HIGH!) 

We stopped for dinner at a burger place. The kids loved the fries and burgers. They were 'buff' burgers--water buffalo--so they were ok, but tasted a bit meaty for me...

It was fun to see everyone at Church dressed up in their colorful clothes! 

We took photos with the artist that made the huge rangoli in our lobby. She was so proud of her work, and she should be. It was nearly 12 feet in circumference! 

This Muggle wanted to try on ALL the bling at one time! 

We went with some friends to eat dinner and see some of the fireworks along the main shoreline in old Mumbai. 

We visited a few temples. It was fun to join all the people coming to pay respects dressed up in their best clothes.