Celebrated by millions of South Asian people around the globe, Diwali is perhaps best known as India's festival of lights. Check the clip below for a brief tutorial on the origins of the holiday. After the bump, another reason to go to India—when they have their festival of lights, it's warm enough to wear shirtsleeves.
Bryant Park Project
My first Diwali was in Delhi 11 years ago. My then-girlfriend (now wife) and I were just beginning a three-week trip around India and Nepal, and it was our first full day in India. During the day, the streets of old Delhi were packed with people buying orange flower garlands and other decorations. At night we expected to see the streets filled with people setting off fireworks, but were surprised that most of the action seemed to be taking place closer to their homes. The streets were relatively empty (relative for India, at least), but in the distance, you could hear the percussion of fireworks, with the clouds cover flashing like heat lightning.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.