Happy Diwali!!!

[TurquoiseSunset]

Happy Diwali to all Hindu Litnetters!!!


May goodness and light follow you always! :p


17 October

[NikolaiI]

This is my first time to celebrate it, I missed it last year and before I didn't know about it, so I am very excited. And it's only three days from now! Govardhan Puja too! :)

[Virgil]

Have a great holiday. :)

[mal4mac]

My heart drops when I hear it's Diwali, because I know the idiot over the road will be making loud bangs for the next few weeks and disturbing my reading.

[Madhuri]

It is one of my favourite festivals :D

Shubh Deepawali :D

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2003/10/25/25_10_2003_happy%20diwali.jpg

[Nikhar]

It is one of the purest of festivals celebrated with a lot of zeal here.

Happy Diwali to everyone!:)

[mal4mac]

I was woken up last night by fireworks at 2am. Diwali is another example of religious people producing misery in the life of other people because of their selfish zeal. "I believe in the hindu gods, and I have a right to wake you up and disturb your life because of my belief!" Yeah right. Put a sock in it.

[1n50mn14]

^And you have a right to your opinion, not that everybody wants to hear it. People are celebrating. SHUT it.

[NikolaiI]

It's morning here and we haven't done anything special so far. We actually maybe have missed it because we didn't plan for it in time. But I think we'll do something tomorrow at least, perhaps celebrate it also with Govardan Puja. Anyway even if we don't do anything special I am glad it's today.

Happy Divali! :)

And thank you for making this nice thread!

[Madhuri]

Its the day after Diwali now :) I didnt burst any crackers this time; but did get to see some really beautiful fireworks.

Nik, you can decorate the house with flowers, rangoli and diya. It's really fun to do such activities :D. I hope you have a nice time :)

[mal4mac]

Should celebrations be allowed to disturb the peace? Diwali is not a traditional British celebration. To me, and most British people, it's nothng different than punk rockers having a rave. Noisy celebrations are something the police should shut down in the cause of peace & quiet, something there is too little of in today's world. Of course *certain* days that have become culturally acceptable as noisy celbration days, over the centuries, should be allowed - in the UK that would be Nov 5 and Dec 31. Why not hold the noisy parts of diwali on Nov 5? Incoming cultures should be sensitive to the native cultures. I'm also unhappy about the British importing Halloween from the USA. Kids going round begging for sweets - it's just not British.

[Scheherazade]

Should celebrations be allowed to disturb the peace? Diwali is not a traditional British celebration. To me, and most British people, it's nothng different than punk rockers having a rave. Noisy celebrations are something the police should shut down in the cause of peace & quiet, something there is too little of in today's world. Of course *certain* days that have become culturally acceptable as noisy celbration days, over the centuries, should be allowed - in the UK that would be Nov 5 and Dec 31. Why not hold the noisy parts of diwali on Nov 5? Incoming cultures should be sensitive to the native cultures. I'm also unhappy about the British importing Halloween from the USA. Kids going round begging for sweets - it's just not British.Someone's having a grumpy day!


http://www.hollywoodmegastore.com/Images/6968_Grumpy_Dwarf_Standup_678.jpg

[NikolaiI]

Should celebrations be allowed to disturb the peace? Diwali is not a traditional British celebration. To me, and most British people, it's nothng different than punk rockers having a rave. Noisy celebrations are something the police should shut down in the cause of peace & quiet, something there is too little of in today's world. Of course *certain* days that have become culturally acceptable as noisy celbration days, over the centuries, should be allowed - in the UK that would be Nov 5 and Dec 31. Why not hold the noisy parts of diwali on Nov 5? Incoming cultures should be sensitive to the native cultures. I'm also unhappy about the British importing Halloween from the USA. Kids going round begging for sweets - it's just not British.

I would probably do best to avoid starting an argument, but in relation to the crimes the British have done to India, do you think this is really so terrible?


Its the day after Diwali now :) I didnt burst any crackers this time; but did get to see some really beautiful fireworks.

Nik, you can decorate the house with flowers, rangoli and diya. It's really fun to do such activities :D. I hope you have a nice time :)

We celebrated on Sunday for both Diwali and Govardhan Puja. It was really amazing!!

What are rangoli and diya?

[Madhuri]

This is a rangoli, you can make it with flowers or colours. It is usually made at the house entrance.

http://kevinoliver99.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/diwali-rangoli-b11.jpg

Diya is an oil lamp (earthen lamp), you get really beautiful ones that you can use to decorate.

http://handicraft.indiamart.com/products/religiousproducts/gifs/diyasterracotta-diyas.jpg

[NikolaiI]

Oh okay, I remember, about the rangolis, now.

And... does diya come from a Sanskrit word or is it one?

Thanks, by the way. :)

[Niamh]

Should celebrations be allowed to disturb the peace? Diwali is not a traditional British celebration. To me, and most British people, it's nothng different than punk rockers having a rave. Noisy celebrations are something the police should shut down in the cause of peace & quiet, something there is too little of in today's world. Of course *certain* days that have become culturally acceptable as noisy celbration days, over the centuries, should be allowed - in the UK that would be Nov 5 and Dec 31. Why not hold the noisy parts of diwali on Nov 5? Incoming cultures should be sensitive to the native cultures. I'm also unhappy about the British importing Halloween from the USA. Kids going round begging for sweets - it's just not British.

If they were born in Britain, then they are citizens of Britain should be allowed to celebrate their religious festivities if they please. We make a lot of noise around christmas. Do you see them protesting against it? No. Christians in Hindu countries do the same. You dont see them complaining.
And as for Halloween being from the USA, i think you will find that it is originally from ireland and some parts of Scotland and Wales. The traditions we do today are evolved versions of things people did here in the past.
Sorry its late but Happy Diwali!!!!!!

[Madhuri]

And... does diya come from a Sanskrit word or is it one?

Thanks, by the way. :)

I think the Sanskrit word would be Deepak; but am not sure. The words, diya, deep, deepak are synomyms.

[Nightshade]

I am late but Happy Diwali!

[TurquoiseSunset]

Happy Divali! :)

And thank you for making this nice thread!

Well, my pleasure! I hope you had a great first Divali!

[NikolaiI]

Well, my pleasure! I hope you had a great first Divali!

Yes I did, it was the best celebration I've ever been to! :)