Very Sparkling Happy Diwali

I came to Hyderabad to meet with colleagues and to escape Delhi's notorious autumnal smog.  As a bonus, Diwali was celebrated while I was there and I joined in some of the celebrations.  Diwali is one of the most important Hindu festivals, celebrating the victory of good over evil.  It was described to me as the Hindi equivalent of Christmas, and is similarly transforming into a secular festival celebrating family and the giving of presents.  Most of my colleagues planned to return to their villages for the celebrations, which extend for the best part of a week.  Diwali itself is on the new moon which falls (in the modern western calendar) between mid-October and mid-November each year.

For the few nights leading up to Diwali some rockets were set off, by those who couldn't wait any longer.  It was fun seeing them light up the night sky!  Fireworks in Hyderabad were selling for as little as INR500 (AUD 10) a kilogram, which is pretty cheap - there are a LOT of fireworks in a kilo!

The night before Diwali there was a party at the research institute: we dressed in our finest, South Asian style, and those who had access to kitchens brought a plate to share.  It was a very colourful, happy evening: there was lots of dancing and even games of the Indian version of bingo, which has confirmed in me that I find bingo intensely dull.

The day of Diwali, I discovered that it's customary to wish everyone "Happy Diwali," but if you hope they have a really good Diwali you wish them a "Very Sparkling Happy Diwali!"  During the day things were fairly quiet - it was a public holiday (but fortunately the canteen didn't close!).  After dark  (well, actually, shortly before dusk, people were keen) the fireworks really started going off, making every other firework event pale in comparison: there were just so many explosions, non stop.  As the air thickened with smoke - even on the research station, well out of Hyderabad - and the night sky lit up with occasional flashes it struck me that Diwali was like a very peaceful war zone: while there was no sense of danger the atmosphere was oppressive and there was no escape from the noise and smoke.

It turns out fireworks are another thing it's difficult to photograph well...particularly when the air is hazy

Around the research station campus many people had lit small oil lamps around their flats and in one of the communal areas people were letting off fireworks.  These were mainly a sort of horizontal Catherine wheel which spun round on the ground before fizzing out, with the occasional rocket which did actually go vertical and splash colour across the sky.

Heading back to Delhi a few days later the airport was still decorated Diwali style!