Diwali in Bombay

Diwali, also known as the celebration of lights (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāval), is a wondrous 5-day celebration important for the Sikhs, Hindus and Jains of India, and abroad. It's an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji (thanks Wikipedia!). To many, it is the mark of a new year (always starting on a new moon mid-October/November), an occasion to welcome wealth into the home, sweets into the mouth and goodness to the heart. The latter explains why oil lamps and candles are placed at the doors of houses, a welcoming of goodness into the home. What Christmas/New Years is to the West, Diwali is to the East. Among many deities, the Goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) is worshiped on this day.

If you are an Indian growing up in the West, not observing any other holiday, you probably still celebrate Diwali. However to get a taste of Diwali in India is a different story.



The days leading up to this Diwali, have been packed with non-stop clamor in the streets of Bombay. Stores and street-side dealers have been opened extra late. Colourful powders of vibrant indigo, yellow, greens, orange are sold to garnish the front entrances of homes. Sari shops and fabric stores are busy and booming with women. Whole families can be seen on the street making orange and green flower garlands to adorn temples and cars. New clothes are a must, so every retailer seems stocked to the brim with new knickers. Not to mention incense sticks, cap guns and fireworks, toys and every other imaginable good thing in the commercial world lies somewhere on the street waiting to be bought and brought to a loving home.

Garland Making


Street Fireworks


I had the privilege of spending my Diwali doing a Puja (prayer ceremony) with a couple of Bollywood's most beloved sisters: Kojal and Tanisha. My father had acted with the sister's mother Tanuja in his first movie, and since then have been the longest of friends. Thus my mother and I were invited to a small gathering at Thauja/Tanisha's apartment where the ceremony was held. Tanuja is one of my favorite aunty's in the world: bright, vibrant and full of sass...yet tremendously down to earth. This was a thread that rang through her daughters too. Very happy to give a hug and share their warmth. Kajol's husband Ajay Devgan (also one of the top actors from the current scene in Bollywood) was also present along with her two daughters. Sweet couple they make.

Tanisha


Tanuja


President Obama made his way to this city today to join in on the celebrations. The past few days amidst all the pre-Diwali preparations, one could see the additional effort expended in his honor. The street curbs were repainted black and yellow, the roads had been re-tarred, blockades that read "Mumbai Police" lined certain street corners, and extra security was everywhere in the downtown core. This packed the streets with traffic, twice-so because of the Diwali is already the busiest time of the year. Road closure are everywhere this weekend. Ghandi's old residency was being retouched and rewired to accommodate the President's honorary walk through.

Ghandi's Residency


Walking through a night market is the quite the sight and sound, its bright like daytime! The locals seem all too exuberant. Men walk in big groups. Women laughing in small circles. Kids playing with fireworks causing sonic eruptions practically everywhere. Everyone was anxious to have me take their photos, thinking I was from the press. Even the cows looked like they were smiling. A light of cheerfulness illuminated every nook of this city it appeared...