Fire crackers and jewellery, new clothes and sweets - ummm... what are we talking about? Diwali, of course.

Diwali (or Deepavali), meaning 'festival of light', conjures up a vision of mouth-watering sweets, the sound of fire crackers, lighted lamps and resplendent dresses. The word 'Diwali' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Deepavali', Deepa meaning light and Avali means a row, i.e., a row of lights.Diwali brings excitement and joy to people even before it arrives, as the planning and shopping starts weeks beforehand. In Bangalore, the first sign that shows that Diwali is round the corner, is the sound of crackers. Then there are those tantalizing discounts and special schemes, offered by all and sundry, for the enthusiastic shopper. Even days before the festival, shopping malls and showrooms beckon shoppers with serial-light-adorned facades.

Several showrooms and designers bring out special designs in jewellery and sarees. An ethnic outfit or a silk saree is a must for the ladies, while conservative gentlemen go in for silk Dhotis (a traditional wrap-around garment). The more modern prefer a formal shirt or a suit. For the children, there are the cracker shops that offer one thousand wallahs (a 1,000 dynamite-type sticks), Sparklers, flower pots, rockets, and some extremely innovative firecrackers.

People wake up as early as 3.00 a.m to take an oil bath and to burst crackers. A meal fit for kings, with a lot of sweets and desserts thrown in, is one more attraction on this D-day.

Houses are decorated with beautiful oil-lit lamps in various shapes, colours and sizes. In the evenings, people visit temples to offer prayers and seek blessings from their elders. People go to their friend's and relative's houses and exchange greetings, gifts and sweets.

- Hema Rengaswamy

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