Happy Diwali!  I’ve had some sad news recently, so it’s hard to get into the mood for celebrations, but celebrate we must.  Most of my celebrations shown here, took place before the recent sad event, so I am just sharing with you as a way of trying to get over some of my pain.  As you may know, Diwali is known as the Festival Of Lights, and it signifies good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.  May Diwali shine it’s light on my family, and yours.  May the Goddess Lakshmi shower us with her love and blessings.  If for some reason, the link does not take you to the gif image of Lakshmi,  you may see it here on my Pinterest Board.

Here are some pictures I took at the Diwali Mela in San Diego on October 24, 2015:

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

There were ever so many people there, these two pictures will give you a glimpse at part of the crowds, both during daylight and at night – it was packed!

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

These girls had a very interesting costume, especially the head gear, but it certainly looked nice and colorful!

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Here, they are dancing with the dandia sticks.  It’s a South Indian dance I believe.

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

There were all kinds of dances, even hip hop!

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Also, there were American girls dancing to Bollywood music.  I think they did a pretty good job.

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Here’s a video of their dance:

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Diwali Mela, San Diego – 2015

Here is a video that includes a variety of the performances.

Unfortunately, I could not include all of the performances or show the entirety of each performance.  I hope  you like the videos, and I hope you like the pictures.

I also hope you will candles, and illuminate your home with just candlelight later this evening.  Remember, let light prevail over darkness.

Diwali Lights

Don’t forget to eat some Indian food – how could you not when it’s Diwali!   I have some virtual food and drink just for you!  Here’s naan bread with lentils, chicken curry, rice and raita (Indian yoghurt).

Indian Food

I love samosas, you can’t enjoy Diwali without samosas, or at least I think so.

You might even want to have a special dish of mine – my very favorite, and of course it’s a Punjabi dish – Makhi Di Roti (bread made from corn meal/corn flour) and Saag (spinach)!  You must give this one a try!

Makhi Di Roti and Saag

After this, you must have sweets.   You must have burfi (can’t even describe how delicious they are – Indian fudge is the closes I can get to it, and oh, how I love fudge!).  Then there’s gulab jamun (syruppy goodness) and jalebi (sticky and syruppy goodness).

Ambala Sweets & Snacks, Artesia

Gulab Jamun

Jalebi

You might want to try kheer, which is basically a delicious rice pudding dish – it is a little less sweet than the jalebi and gulab jamun. Sorry about the quality of this picture.

Kheer

Want more sweets?  I knew you would!

Indian Sweets – Mithai

Then, if you’re like me, you’ll have to wash the sweets down with a delicious cup of chai.

Cup of Indian Chai

Now, hopefully that was a nice Diwali, some pictures, some entertainment, some food, some sweets and some tea!

Guess what? For the first time ever, we have been given the day off for Diwali in the USA and they didn’t even know they were giving us the day off for our special holiday!  They thought they were giving us a day off for Veterans Day, well….I am very glad that we have Veterans Day!  Thank you to all those who served, and made this day possible so that we could all be off together, and celebrate away from work!  Please can we make Veterans Day next year be on Diwali too?  Please?  I don’t think it will happen again, as Diwali is on different days, sometimes in October, and sometimes in November.  Still, it doesn’t hurt to ask or wish for it…….please, let it be on a holiday again, or better still – give us Diwali off (wishful thinking)!!!  Anyway, must go and enjoy Diwali now.  Happy Veterans Day, and Happy Diwali!