secrets :-O and smiles :): Diwali

In India every small occasion is a huge celebration... Here I do not mean drinks and party by the word celebration.We value our families and diwali or any other festival for that matter is a reunion of the extended family.
Diwali or Deepavali is a festival to celebrate the home coming of lord Sri Rama, his beloved wife Sita and brother Laxman after 14 years of vanvas (living in a forest).

This festival is usually celebrated for three days, Beginning with the ritual of a oil head bath.

Westerners find the concept of oily hair very yucky, but what you don't realize is that where you live is a place covered by snow, usually chilly,cold... but here in India climate is generally warm and hence oil is applied to beat the heat.. and keep your head cool. :)

Deepawali means "Deepon ki aawali" or a wonderful row of lamps. Lamp is the trade mark of diwali or deepawali.

Also rangoli or colourful designs are made using powdered colours

Before the festivals houses are cleaned and new clothes are bought.
Diwali is a festival for inviting goddess of richness and prosperity into our houses.On this day after sunset houses are decorated with beautiful rows oil lamps.Lighting of diya or lamp is a symbol of removal of darkness or ignorance from our lives. During this day delicious sweets and delicacies like laddu,jalebi,rasogulla,payasam/kheer,appam,mysore pak,gulab jamuns,malai pedas, pedas.. are made and distributed among near and dear ones.

Halwa

Gulab Jamun

Malai Peda

Children especially look forward to this festival as bursting of crackers is a tradition from before.But nowadays since people are a little conscious about environment pollution they restrict themselves to only lighting the lamps and stay away from the noise and air polluting crackers ! :) :)

This festival is today not only celebrated by Hindus alone, but is celebrated with equal pomp and show by cristians, muslims etc.