Happy Diwali to all :)

Diwali

This is perhaps the most well-known of the Indian festivals:

It is celebrated throughout India, as well as in Indian communities throughout the diaspora. It usually takes place eighteen days after Dusshera. It is colloquially known as the "festival of lights", for the common practice is to light small oil lamps (called diyas) and place them around the home, in courtyards, verandahs, and gardens, as well as on roof-tops and outer walls.

The celebration of the festival is invariably accompanied by the exchange of sweets and the explosion of fireworks. As with other Indian festivals, Diwali signifies many different things to people across the country. In north India, Diwali celebrates Rama's homecoming, that is his return to Ayodhya after the defeat of Ravana and his coronation as king; in Gujarat, the festival honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and in Bengal, it is associated with the goddess Kali. Everywhere, it signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes on the day of the festival; similarly, it heralds the approach of winter and the beginning of the sowing season.

Well! For me after a halloween Diwali is a bonus!
We are going to cook lots of things at our place and gonna invite some friends as well...Later there would be diwali celebrations with Indian Graduate Student Association organizing dances, drama, music and similar things...ya ya there will be great food as well....:)

Really looking forward to that.

Hereby I wish to all readers a very happy and prosperous diwali :)

Also !! a very happy birth day to Priya on 31st Oct !

~ Rohit