Happy Diwali!!

It's not a sick genetic mutation of Dilbert and Wally. But Hindus and two of the credo off-spring, Sikhs and Jains. During Diwali, celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. Some Indian business communities begin the financial year on the first day of Diwali, hoping for prosperity the following year. In Hinduism, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after defeating (the demon king) Ravana, the ruler of Lanka, in the epic Ramayana. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha by Mahavira in 527 BC. In Sikhism, Diwali commemorates the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji to Amritsar after freeing 52 Hindu kings imprisoned in Fort Gwalior by Emperor Jahangir; the people lit candles and diyas to celebrate his return.

So we celebrated as well. It's about 9:30 at night and since 6pm there have been fireworks going off continuously 360 degrees around us. And we're not talking a couple of firecrackers either. Some of our neighbors set off a string of 1000 firecrackers here's some of the action:



The gun smoke is so thick that it's like Detroit on New Years at midnight. There is a cloud enveloping the city in every direction. OK, we added to it with our diyas.


Our neighbors were much more fancy with rangolis made of flowers with their diyas:


All day, the folks that live in the basement of the apartments and the laborer families from the tents in the vacant lot and construction site were out making rangolis, wearing their finery, and having a good old time.


Deb and I took a walk after sundown to see the lights on the homes and businesses near us.
. . .and had all the young kids asking for me to take their pictures.


We've never seen more fireworks at any 4th of July celebration. Again, Happy Diwali to all our friends in Edison, NJ. Have a great weekend.