Karnataka - Mysore Eudaimonia

Our ancestors lit up their homes with candles with the belief that it drove demons away. Once in a year, the people of this country come together to light up the night sky and dominate the darkness. Oppress it through the lights and sounds that rip through the air all night.
Diwali. A single word that lights up our soul and exorcise the demons in our heart. When people of all cultures light a simple diya to signify unity against evil.
These days it comes down to crackers. The more you burst, the more your heart swells. Sometimes by abandoning caution. Naught for nothing do I firmly believe in "Date a patakha, don't burst one."
Diwali in Mysore started for me in d evening, symbolically. The streets were filled with people making merry without a worry in their hearts. Thanks to the last say of two girls in our group, we decided on celebrating outside a Gurudwara.
After tying the traditional on our heads, we sat through the. The small community of Sikhs impressed and warmed our hearts with their kindness, friendliness and merriment. We were then led to the dining hall where we gorged on bread, mouth watering chole masala, sweet n spicy halwa and innumerable sweets - jalebis to sandesh, barfis to rasgullas, each mouthful making our evening all the sweeter.
The fun started afterwards when we brought out the huge stacks of crackers! Colours and hues and sounds took on a new meaning after that. Each deafening sound was followed by shouts and chorus of their native language which I joined in without abandon with whatever words I could cook up! And when the bhangra started, hands and feet flew fast and in any direction. The people welcomed me in their dance as one of their own. Someone went shouting past me and went straight into the drain!! Some slipped n fell and brought a bunch of others down with him! Madness redefined! Colourful Phuljhadis and chakris, tubris and rockets, chocolate bombs to TNT! Ah! Everyone fulfilled their secret wishes of destruction!!
As the night grew older, we reluctantly made our way back to our homes and killed time chatting and laughing.
Finally, when the night was at it's darkest, and the chatters had finally died, a girl brought out a diya and lit it up. Simple, elegant and proudly the oil dipped wick burned defiantly against the darkness. And the single blue flame warmed the hearts nearby and gave us hope... :)Lue lisää