Quote:
Originally Posted by neverending
Very cool pics, V! The rangoli is like a carpet?
What else happens during the festival? Music & feasting?
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Thanks.
No, the
rangoli is made from scratch using powders of different colors. Takes a lot of skill, patience and time. One big
rangoli takes at least 4-5 hours to prepare.
Basically the whole house is decorated and lights are lit everywhere. The theory being that no part of the house should be in darkness...its considered inauspicious. All the family members wear new clothes and make a lot of sweet food items to distribute to friends and relatives.
Then a long
puja (worship with
mantras) is done for Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Kali and also we sit down and pray for the peace of all the souls of our ancestors.
Then come the firecrackers.
Some people indulge in gambling and drinking through the night too. Gambling is usually done with very heavy amounts, and since its illegal to gamble over here, police crack down on them.
The next day after Diwali is usually a holiday. In this year's case, it was a Sunday anyway. The holiday is used to visit each other's homes and wish them a Happy Diwali.