I have never been in a war zone and am probably insulting anyone who has but these last 4 days I have experienced the rapid gun fire sound from 6.30 in the morning untill 11pm ( promptly, everything stops at 11 here). They must be relatively cheap to buy because every househod must be letting off an hours worth at least. There are some actual colourful fireworks that go into the sky as in UK but most make up for in sound what they don't achieve in height or colour. Very unsettling for me. I got lost on my way home on the first night and kids were just throwing them everywhere. they leave masses of scraps of paper behind as well after they have exploded.
School had a Diwali holiday ( saturday until Thursday). They had a celebration on the Friday afternoon where the teachers lit some devotional lamps in a flower pattern and then lit catherine wheels on the ground and the kids just had to jump away from them. Either these kids are not very autistic or they are just well trained because most of them bar 4 older boys ( would love to do some work with teachers on helping them be better understood rather than obliged/forced to conform) just watched quietly or ignored whilst the teachers got excited.
I asked staff about the religious significance of Diwali and they said that depending on the region of India you come from the story or myth is completley different but overall people will make a Puja to the godess Lakshmi for health, happiness and prosperity ( same as the Ganesh festival really). The children are bought presents by their parents and in laws and grand parents. The women should be bought a new sari and/or jewellery by their husbands and brothers buy their sisters presents. They are trying to ntroduce a day for girls to reciprocate and buy their brothers something but that hasn't been met with enthusiasm!
The night before the main day of celebration the woman will have a long soak in a bath full of oils and prepare their hair with oils too. I hinted about being asked to a family celebration but I think the staff didn't want the responsibility of me. Eventually another local volunteer asked me to hers for lunch but there were no actual celebrations. In fact she had invited me to her mothers house. her Mum was fasting and her dad said that he wasn't hungry ( don't know if me being there ruined some family dynamic) I had lunch, brought some sweets and ate then was told that the volunteer and her hubby needed to get off home! Everyone this evening has little lamps lit up around their front yards and the painted flower pattern just outside the front gate as a good luck sign.
I want to know what Indian folk in the UK do.
As an aside it was quite unsettling as the maid was cleaning the floors around our feet as we were eating our meal. I will ask my lovely friend Krupa ( who would have invited me to hers I think but was in Goa for the week with her family) what she would have done. What i didn't get were any bloody sweeties. possibly just as well though as I came home and that evening had D and V all night so am confined to my rooms today feeling sorry for myself!
