Diwali - Festival of Light (by Joe)

We are lucky to be in India for Diwali, the Hindu 'Festival of Light' celebrated for 14 days and nights around this time every year in the the build up to the new moon. Diwali itself is on the day before the new moon.

The whole thing is a major public holiday, similar to Christmas in the UK, and there is a strong festival feel with decorations, candles and fireworks almost everywhere you go (see left- decorations for sale in Old Delhi). TV ads tend to involve companies wishing Indians a 'happy Diwali' and there is great focus on gifts and present-giving.

Since we arrived, we have seen fantastic firework displays from our roof terrace across Delhi and been given many frights with firecrackers going off around us in the streets.

On the day itself, we were lucky enough to be staying at a friendly family-run hotel. Thy invited us out to share in a (rather manic) DIY firework display with rockets, catherine wheels and sparklers (see left - Laura getting stuck in).

Joe