Keats' 'Ode to Autumn' ran through my head....'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'
Autumn in India is hot, at least 36C every day, there are no mists and nothing mellow about it, but there is fruitfulness ! It is Diwali, and all the sweet shops have extended their premises with plastic awnings to provide extra shop floor space for the boxes and boxes of gift wrapped dried fruit and nuts and hand made sweets covered in edible silver.
Mobile carts line the streets offering bags of coloured sand for sale at 5 rupees - a myriad of brightly coloured heaps of colour - irresistibly bright - it is traditional to decorate the floor in front of your door with a rangoli design of welcome to your guests and also to the Goddess Lakshmi, the bringer of wealth.
Buildings are draped in lights, the smell of hot ghee is everywhere, streets are jammed with people, beggars and shoppers, cars hoot, auto-rickshaw drivers spit - this is the razzmatazz of Diwali - "will you be open on 26th October?" I ask, "Yes, of course, that is when we make the most money" comes the reply. Diwali is followed by New Year and I know what everyone will be wishing ! May the Goddess Lakshmi be with you always !
Autumn in India is hot, at least 36C every day, there are no mists and nothing mellow about it, but there is fruitfulness ! It is Diwali, and all the sweet shops have extended their premises with plastic awnings to provide extra shop floor space for the boxes and boxes of gift wrapped dried fruit and nuts and hand made sweets covered in edible silver.
Mobile carts line the streets offering bags of coloured sand for sale at 5 rupees - a myriad of brightly coloured heaps of colour - irresistibly bright - it is traditional to decorate the floor in front of your door with a rangoli design of welcome to your guests and also to the Goddess Lakshmi, the bringer of wealth.
Buildings are draped in lights, the smell of hot ghee is everywhere, streets are jammed with people, beggars and shoppers, cars hoot, auto-rickshaw drivers spit - this is the razzmatazz of Diwali - "will you be open on 26th October?" I ask, "Yes, of course, that is when we make the most money" comes the reply. Diwali is followed by New Year and I know what everyone will be wishing ! May the Goddess Lakshmi be with you always !
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