Diwali Pictures!

Each doorway was decorated, filled with well-wishers and smiling faces...and everyone greeted everyone with "Happy Diwali!"

Last weekend was Diwali in India, which is basically the Hindu equivalent of Christmas. It was really fun to experience it first hand...it's actually been really fun to just experience INDIA first hand. Randomly in American T.V. shows we're watching here, or books I've been reading, there'll be references to Indian customs that I would have NEVER picked up on before...and now, I do!

Diwali (a.k.a. "festival of lights") is a five-day festival celebrated predominantly by Hindus, but also by Buddhists and Sikhs (though their legends are different). Each day, the people pray to a different god, requesting favors that relate to that god's "specialty". On one of the days everyone prays to Lakshmi - goddess of prosperity - and everyone is supposed to buy something metal...gold, silver, washing machine, silverware. Here's a picture of the metals store. It was mass chaos!


This is an example of how people would decorate the inside of their house. I didn't take this picture...found it on the internet, but think it's quite representative!


Chris and I walked into town on Saturday morning of the festival. These are some of my favorite pictures. :)




This last one has nothing to do with Diwali, but has great lighting and I just liked it. :)