Tag: Diwali
Dhanteras
This week I've celebrated Diwali with my wife and her family. During this week we will visit the home of each family member, in turn, to break bread and be thankful for all that has happened throughout the last year and celebrate the new. Thanksgiving is my favourite American holiday and Diwali reminds me of the spirit of Thanksgiving. Tonight we lit tiny divas (little clay lamps) to drive away the shadows of evil spirits (it's interesting that Halloween is just around the corner).
Dhanteras (Hindi: Marathi: Dhantrayodashi) is the first day of the five-day Diwali Festival as celebrated in parts of north India. The festival ... falls on the auspicious thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik (October/November).
The Dhan in Dhanteras means wealth. (via [WikiPedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhanteras))
Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak
The kids have been celebrating the start of the Diwali holiday with their Ami Massi. Yesterday they made rangoli with each of their names.
Together (Shaan, Kiran, Tejus, Nandani) they decorated windows with coloured markers. They drew Happy Diwali and Ganipathy.
They lit and placed diyas (rows of lights) on the steps and pathway of Ami's home last night and tonight as well.
Tonight they lit sparklers.
