The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Posts Tagged Diwali

May the Light be with you!

Nov 4

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, Entertainment, India | No Comments


Light is the source of life. Light is the foundation of this universe. Without the warmth of sun, this galaxy would be frozen and lifeless. The light is the origin of everything living.

A seed needs light to burst out of ground and grow into a giant tree. A newborn needs light for the life support. A frozen and still pond waits all winter for the touch of the spring, for the warm sun-rays, to melt back into fluid water, water that supports life for all creatures – on earth or under water.

The light is what makes us see. Without light we are missing the most important sense of sight, a sensory input to our brain. It is hard to imagine a universe without the ability to see. Long live the light that makes it happen.

There is no such thing as dark; it is just absence of light – absence of a necessity. That is why in many cultures around the globe including in India, light is always compared to knowledge, and darkness to ignorance.

Light is something we should celebrate every day. Light is the blessing we often ignore and overlook. Today on the auspicious day Diwali, let’s celebrate light. After all, it is a festival of light – a festival that signifies knowledge, warmth and life. Read the rest of this entry »

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Life after Diwali

Oct 19

Posted by admin in India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, personal development, Trivial Stuff | 2 Comments

How to handle the after-Diwali blues! :(

“The past is behind, learn from it.
The future is ahead, prepare for it.
The present is here, live it.” ~ Thomas Monson

The Diwali celebrations are over. It is about time to clean-up the remains of the burnt candles, put away the party supplies, tidy up the kitchen and rest of the house….

The left-over sweets and treats are disappearing, at least the tastier ones. The festivities are over; back to reality!

For those of us who are lucky to get Diwali holidays or time off, the vacation is over. The kids have to focus back on the school and deal with the burden of homework once again. The grown-up are heading back to work; the boring and monotonous routine of 9 to 5 jobs resumes. It is a struggle every morning to get out of the bed and face the new day.

Welcome to the real world again, the daily grind!

With the winter knocking on the door, it is not uncommon to go through this depressing cycle and mood swings after Diwali celebrations.

Now, how can you boost your spirits again? What can we do to minimize the Diwali nostalgia?

Well, to help deal with this post Diwali syndromes, there are a few adjustments we can make in our thinking and the attitude. To help with the after Diwali blues, here are some of the changes you may want to focus on:

1. Thank God it is quiet again: Think about it. Now that it is all over, you can finally take a break from all the running around. No more chaos; no more decorations to worry about; no more cooking the special feasts. The deafening sound of loud music and fireworks is a past history. Read the rest of this entry »

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A Diwali Promise

Oct 16

Posted by admin in India, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, Trivial Stuff | 2 Comments

HAPPY DIWALI

HAPPY DIWALI

While celebrating and enjoying Diwali, you should make a promise, or two.
On this day, you might want to make a personal resolution to:

Try something new, something that is not you.
Walk a mile, or run a few; it’s good for soul, and body too.
Walk in someone else’s shoes; before judging them.
Look inside; the mirror often lacks the full picture of you.
Share something; there is always something worth giving.
Help someone; look closer, someone always needs you.
Travel and go see places, there is a world to see;
Tell a story-  an ugly, a good one, and true ones a few. Read the rest of this entry »

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Diwali in India – a foreign concept abroad!

Oct 13

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 1 Comment

The overseas new generation barely relates to Diwali experiences!

Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali

Yes, we celebrate Diwali in America too, in fact all over the world. By the crowd (if slightly more than a dozen Indians qualify as a crowd!) at the Indian stores, you can tell that the desi families are getting ready for Diwali. However, there are no bazaars displaying the fire-crackers all over, there are no sweets being prepared fresh. The sulfer smell of fireworks is missing. The shopping experience is not the same, not even close by any stretch of the imagination.

And then, if you look closely, only the grown-ups are much too excited about Diwali. The Indian kids in American, who have never experienced a Diwali night in India, don’t know what the fuss is about. One can try to explain to them what Diwali is like, but how would you do that? The Diwali scene in Indai is so unique, the festival involves so much desi culture, so many Indian traditions.
You can try…
“Well, it is a festival of lights…ummm..lots of fireworks and sweets…,” you can go on..
“Is it like Christmas?” is a common inquiry.
“Well, not really…”
Words fail to do justice with the description of Diwali, and especially the Diwali night.

How would you describe the excitement and enthusiasm of every kid –young or teenager? The day full of treats, and a night worth remembering… The kids in India, rich or poor, wait for Diwali for months. The count-down starts even before the summer is over.

On this night, the absence of moon does not mean that the dark shall prevail. The endless rows of small earthen oil lamps and candles line up the rooftops of every mansion and every hut all over the towns. Rich or poor, every household is full of light, full of life…

Just like a picture is worth a thousand words, the night of Diwali is hard to narrate to those who have never experienced one. The first-hand experience of Diwali, especially for a kid growing up in India, is a very special one. A well told story from generation to generation about a land far away is one thing, being a kid in India on Diwali night is,..well,.. very different; a totally different story. Read the rest of this entry »

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