Happy Diwali!

Yesterday was Diwali, which is "like Christmas for us", to quote my boss. It is the biggest holiday of the year here, celebrating the triumph of good over evil, the new business year, the Goddess of Wealth's visit, and a festival of lights, among other things, from what I've understood. Not bad timing for getting to India :) Everyone decorates with lots of lights and flowers; visits their family and friends and takes one another sweets, nuts, and dried fruits; and lights off fireworks...LOTS of fireworks. I've wondered if this is what it sounds like to live in a war zone? Last night was definitely the peak but they've been going off for the past few days and apparently will continue on into the weekend. So loud. It's also customary to wear new clothes on the day, so since we had the day off work, I went shopping and got my first Indian outfit. This stuff is comfortable! Long, loose tops, scarves, and pants ranging from tights to super-baggy. Come the heat next summer, I am going to live in these cool, flowy clothes. 

Most people spend the day visiting relatives and friends, and at night everyone gathers with their family for "puja", or prayer. We went downstairs to our landlord's apartment, did the puja with them--full of tradition and ceremony--and then ordered Domino's! To paraphrase Gurcharan Das, in India Unbound, "India is rapidly becoming a capitalist society, while preserving its cultural heritage and way of life." 

From left to right: our landlord ("Uncle"), yours truly in her new Indian get-up, the landlord's son Anand, and my roommate Sue.

Obligatory cow pic. Thought it was about time. 

Uncle's mother, who is 91. She is sitting in front of the shrine prepared for puja.

Anand putting new flowers on his grandfather's photo.

Storefront decoration.

The Griswalds?

At a Diwali bazaar we went to over the weekend. 

Everyone gets blessed with a mark of red chalk-like substance on their forehead.