Posts Tagged festival

A blur of blinking lights, blazing fireworks and scrumptious sweets, Diwali holds a special place in many a person’s heart. The festival is always preceeded by the occasional fireworks that echo during the day/night, and will eventually intensify as the special day gets closer. Various businesses will mark the occassion with a declaration of “Best Dressed Indian gets $50″, and cards are sent out to their customers passing on the usual well wishes as well as, coincidently, a special deal that’ll only be on till Diwali ends (So Hurry!). Blinking lights that were originally for christmas trees will be carefully strung up and around celebrating houses, each display an attempt to either outshow their neighbours, or to outdo the previous years set-up. Temples will note an increase in activity, both inside and out, with devotees visiting and children letting off fireworks outside the yard with their parents looking on in amusement.

To many, Diwali is all this and more (grog and booze sessions included), and with so many things to look forward to and only one day to chase it up, there’s a subliminal danger of missing out on the fun things that make Diwali what it is. However, fear not, as this blog will be your guide on some of the more interesting things you could do come Diwali night.

Of course, this ‘5 Ways‘ guide is for those who arn’t hindus and wouldn’t otherwise have their own list of things to do. Rather, this is aimed at those that on Diwali, would be sitting at home, twiddling their thumbs, and watching their dvd collection of Gulong while the rest of Fiji is out and about.

What could be a better way to start off the Diwali then by dressing the part? Nothing gets you in the mood quicker then by doning the traditional garments from India. For men, there’s always the classic, stylish yet not too overbearing Jodhpuri suit, which looks great both for formal and work occassions, as well as, if chosen correctly, boosting your chances of winning the office dress up day competition Women, as always, will always choose the ever enduring, gracefully flowing Indian sari, which is present in many forms and colours, and never fails to dazzle the onlookers time and time again.

Many clothes stores will be stocking Indian suits and dresses, and now would be the right time to get them, although as of late, compared to the previous years, shoppers have been somewhat slow to start the shopping rush. If shopping for Indian attire confounds you, don’t be afraid to take your Indian buddies with you, and let them take charge as to where to shop since you could always use a few pointers on the best places to go.

No, not that sweet, but rather the kind that either gets distributed to your house the morning after Diwali, or you end up gorging yourself on during said Diwali. It is during this time of the year where every self-respecting hindu will make it his/her job to cook up an unholy amount of delicious indian sweets, so as to satisfy the ravinous horde of friends, family and at times, uninvited guests who present themselves at the front door, baying for the fresh indian sweet delicacies that can sate their hunger.

It is during this time where you should by all means, take advantage of the vast range of sweets that will be made, and take it upon yourself to sample each and every piece, from the sugar coated, healthy-teeth-check, bone crunching Lakari to the circular, mouth-melting-moment, sometimes red sometimes orange never disappointing Jalebi.

If there was ever a time in Fiji for sweetophiliacs to prosper, this would be it.

Diwali is the Festival of light, and that fact is never more clearly illuminated (hooray for puns!) then through the dazzling display of flickering lights that are strung up on houses across the nation. A general sign that that particular household is celebrating the festival the traditional way, the various forms of light displays are always a sight to behold. From the old school candles and coloured boxes that lay scattered across the lawn to the megawatt, FEA-worrying, I’m-made-of-money, near Las Vegas show of might and power, with rows of rows of flashing light ropes that cover the house and on occassion, show laywaid planes the way home.

The best way to fully appreciate the show of lights is to grab a car and go for a drive. You’d be surprised at the vast arrangement details that each home will present, with some of the more creative ones being a pleasant surprise. The best places to visit are the streets away from the main roads, the suburbs as well as the upper class districts. If wheeled transport isn’t available, then a simple walk about with your friends is the next best thing, with the added advantage of lighting crackers along the way to lighten up the mood for the night.

The main weakness of any kid or kid at heart, this is the primary source of enjoyment for many a child, me included. For as long as anyone can remember, fireworks and Diwali go hand in glorious multi-coloured, sparkly hand. Noisy, smokey, potentially dangerous, and at times costing a handy sum, they’re nonetheless the mainstay of any self respecting kid’s arsenal for Diwali night. While they may have a religious connection with the actual festival itself, the act of using fireworks has, over the years, evolved into something more akin to urban warefare, with gangs of children, and at times, consenting adults (ahem…me included) engaging in bouts of firefights. It is perhaps due to these activities that the current government has seen to it that 90% of fireworks be banned from retail outlets, leaving behind mostly sparklers and harmless light flares.

Of course, while it will be unprofessional, nay, illegal of me to recommend you aqcuire said banned crackers via unsavoury means, that doesn’t mean you stay off fireworks totally. There’s always the ones that are legal, and readily available to the public. Light flares, sparklers…yeah it’s pretty obvious either its been awhile since I’ve last visited a store during Diwali saleweek, or there really is a lack of proper crackers on sale.

In hindsight, Diwali isn’t about obtaining the biggest, baddest, loudest, most god-awefully named firecracker you can get so that you can aim at your neighbour’s house, grinning like a madman. Rather, look at it as an opportunity to chillout with your good friends, add a little colour to the night sky, and enjoy the mesmerizing effect that sparklers have both on the kids, as well as kid inside of you

Wow. Diwali is looking to be quite the busy night. Sweets, dress up parties, sight seeing, fireworks, it all seems a tad bit overwhelming. What would you start off with first? Here’s a handy tip. Accept the invitation from your diwali celebrating indian friend to pay a visit to his/her place come Tuesday night, and then, in a flash of brilliance, achive all above mentioned points! Dress up in the brand spanking new Jodhpuri suit that you bought last week to impress the parents, snatch a ride to the house and admire the lights along the way, and after entering the premises and wishing everyone a happy diwali, gorge yourself on the snacks presented on the table. Then its to the front porch, where eager kids and unlit crackers await.

So there you have it. While this is by no means a comprehensive “5 definitive ways’ list, I do hope that whatever you may pick up from this post would be of some use to you on Diwali night. And remember, Diwali is all about celebrating together with friends and family, snacks and crackers taking an important second. Or a third, depending on whether the kid in you prefers gunpowder explosions to tastebud ones.

Your choice