Deepavali - a Hindu celebration

I'm so lucky to be here during the Festival of Light: Deepavali. This festival is the most auspicious for the Hindu and is celebrated with family and friends. People buy  new clothes for the day and will share yummy sweets and other foods. Last night an Indian colleague here at the WABA office took me to Little India with her. She warned me it would be busy and noisy - she wasn't wrong.

The shop owners have opened stalls on the pavement and roadside that are filled with flowers and decorations for the home. The atmosphere is electric with the number of people around and delicious smells and the music (verrry loud!) all adding to the excitement in the air.

Lots of stalls also sold the sweets and biscuits which are special just for this event. I've bought some and am looking forward to trying them, though have been told that the home-made ones are better.

This design on a table is a rangoli and is being made from coloured rice  (see artist in background who didn't want to be photographed). I've seen a few of these around town now - on the floor of shopping centres, in hotel foyers, etc. Apparently on Deepavali morning (this coming Friday) oil burners will be placed in the middle and lit.

We also dropped into the many sari shops - all busy with shoppers buying new clothes - another tradition of the day. Oh those fabrics are just beautiful! I never see fabrics like that in the shops in Australia.

Friday one of the WABA staff is holding an 'open house' at her place to celebrate the occasion. I'm very much looking forward to sharing the traditions and fun on the day.