Diwali - Changes that I Observed This Year

Diwali is normally the time that I try and escape from the City as it becomes very polluting and on the Diwali day itself it feels more like a war zone!

A house lighted up for Diwali

However, this year due to certain reasons I was not able to travel and surprisingly I observed that this year the the emphasis was more on lighting and decorating the houses than on the firecrackers. Several houses had 'rangoli' - a kind of decoration on the floor with color powder - and the gates and entrances were bedecked with flowers.

Diwali Bride

The overall decibel levels as well as the smoke generated from the firecrackers was definitely less than what I have observed in the previous years. People now are decorating the houses like they do during marriages in the family.

Diwali this year has truly become a festival of lights  - even if it is a festival of Chinese lights  - as the market is now flooded with Chinese lights which are available in the market at a much cheaper rate and are more attractive than what is produced by Indian manufacturer.

Diwali Fireworks