Another Diwali night video

Here’s another video from Diwali night – this time giving you some indication of the fireworks being let off in the suburbs and surrounds:

Diwali Fireworks (cont'd)

Here’s a video from Diwali night:

Diwali Fireworks

As you know, we recently celebrated the festival of Diwali here in India. It is the Festival of Light but to us expats, it’s an excuse to head down to Old Delhi; buy fireworks (they are so cheap here !!); go to someone’s house; have a BBQ on the roof; have some beers and let off said fireworks (you know...bring out the pyromaniac in us all).

What could possibly go wrong with letting off fireworks in such a “safe” environment as that ??

Can I just say that being on a rooftop is the best way to celebrate Diwali as you can see all the fireworks around the suburb going off.

Here are some photos from the night on Gary and Lynda’s rooftop:

Tony: Look behind you !!

Behind you !!

 A collection of some of the resident pyromaniacs 

Happy Diwali 2013

It’s Diwali time here in India – the Festival of Lights and is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar.

Think of it as the equivalent of Christmas for Christians.

It’s all about spending time with family and the most important thing: fireworks !!

The streets around Vasant Vihar have been reverberating to the occasional fireworks going off. 

That will all change tonight: it’ll get very loud over the next two nights.

I stand by my description of Diwali from last year: it looks like downtown Baghdad in 2003 (think anti-aircraft fire) and sounds like the Syrian Civil War is going on outside your door.

The High Commission hosted the Diwali party yesterday on the back lawns of the High Commissioner’s residence.

It was a great afternoon celebrating Diwali. Everyone was invited: the LES, domestic staff, the cleaners, the gardeners, friends and family.

Everyone got into the spirit of celebrating and having a great time.

The ladies all dressed up and the men dressed up.

Some of the sections put on performances, which in the spirit of Bollywood, involved lots of dancing.

DIAC even put on a version of “Titanic” where no-one died when the ship sank - the hero drank the waters and saved everyone (I think...it was kind of hard to follow the storyline). What did you expect with the Bollywood version ??

After the formalities and prize draws, it was time to dance and boy, do the locals know how to party on !!

The dancing continued for a good three hours.

There were even fireworks.

It was really fun afternoon and unfortunately, our last Diwali !!

Thanks to Charles, Lynne, Jaspreet and the rest of the committee for all their efforts in organising the event. Well done to all of you !!

I did go a bit crazy with the camera so here is a selection of photos from the afternoon that I hope you like:

Now here's a dodgy bunch !!

HOM lighting the Diwali flame

Partying on the HOM's back lawns

Charles: the man of the hour