Photo: NASA
Happy Diwali! Hindu's annual "festival of lights" has turned all the sub-continent a fire. Gorgeous ain't it? Nevermind that this actually isn't picture of India during the holiday -- yes, all those posts on Facebook have led you astray -- but the idea is there. And it's beautiful.
Celebrated between mid-October and mid-November every year, Diwali (or Deepavali) is one of the most important Hindu festivals of the year, bringing together families and friends with same sort of solemnity and excited pomp as Christmas and Hanukkah. A five-night affair, traditions and explanations vary from region to region, but there's often festive fireworks, group worship, sharing of sweets, donning of new clothes, or lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. The overall essence remains the same: to rejoice in the inner light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Brahman).
If you're looking to check it out, we suggest heading to Mumbai, India's rising gay epicenter.
