This is the beginning of the Indian festival season...
it starts with Dussehra (pronounced doo' shera) and ends with the festival of lights, Diwali, in a few weeks. We are nearing our Indian 1-year anniversary (October 15th) and this holiday took place during our first weekend in India last year, so it holds a special place in our hearts. (That, and it's just fun to watch Ravana burn.)
On this holiday, Hindus celebrate the victory of good over evil and burn effigies of Ravana and his 2 brothers in neighborhoods and parks all over India. We are lucky that Ravana is burned in our neighborhood right outside of our apartment. We gathered at the traffic circle with our neighbors and were delighted when the fireworks began to go off mere feet from our heads. The crowds gasped and began to step back and burning sparks got just a little too close to their faces. A few minutes later, an honorary person (neighborhood elder or maybe government official), lit the bottom of Ravana's leg and it wasn't long until he exploded in firecrackers and flames. Enjoy a bit of Indian culture with this video we captured of the event!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell me!