Deepavali 2022 Celebration

Deepavali this year (Oct 24) was good, and I had nothing to do but watch the night shower of colorful fireworks that rocked the sky from all sides; however, I could only see the fireworks from the balcony that meets south. The day didn't feel any different to me, and as usual, the television shows were unwatchable, and I couldn't recall doing anything else with my time.

After five years, my uncle (my grandmother's sister's son) chose to spend Deepavali with us. I last celebrated Deepavali with him in 2017, and I wasn't expecting him to come, but it was a pleasant surprise, and he assisted me in lighting the fireworks I had purchased. Unlike others, we do not ignite Dias (lamps); of course, it is the festival of lights, where the rows of lamps adorn the houses; we used to do the same for Karthigai Deepam rather than Deepavali.

Nephew Kavin enjoys holding sparkler fireworks

So far as I recall, we only ignite fireworks in the evening, and the sound of crackers, despite its discomfort and animal hatred, has something to raise the festive spirit. I oppose sound and hence do not purchase sound crackers, but the sky shots emit sound, which is inevitable. I buy fireworks every year because I enjoy seeing them produce light and colors; I don't believe there is any link between fireworks and the festival of lights; it's the only time fireworks are accessible and burst, and most of us do the same. 

This Deepavali is also the time in five years that I went out on the day before Deepavali and visited one of my favorite beaches, Palavakkam Beach, with my uncle. Usually, I go out a day earlier to observe how things are going around the festival of lights, and seeing festival lights around gives me some self-enthusiasm. When it comes to festivals, no one in my family circle is as enthusiastic as I am, and I can't make anyone else feel the same way; at the very least, I celebrate myself with things going on around me. 

Following is a series of sky shots from the balcony:

A couple of days for Deepavali!

Deepavali or Diwali, the word itself, would offer us joy, and as the Indian festival of lights (Oct 24th) approaches, both India and Indians living abroad are getting ready to celebrate the festival with all delight. 

Shopping, like any other festival, is crucial in Deepavali, and buying new dresses is a custom we once followed but abandoned due to the festival rush and other factors; buying crackers is another favorite activity we never miss. Either through the Deepavali fund (small money accumulated year after year by a well-known individual who organizes the purchase of fireworks, sweets, and other festival necessities) or by going to the cracker shop. I've been purchasing fireworks online for the last few years. 

Turn on the television, and you will see Deepavali commercials and discounts on any channel. Even YouTube channels aren't immune to the practice. The special buses for Deepavali transportation, as well as the busy streets of shopping areas, were also a part of the tidings on news channels.  Overall, it looks like people are engaged in celebrating the festival in some way. 

I believe no other generation has celebrated Deepavali like our 90s generation. Perhaps because I grew through it or saw a celebration that I didn't see subsequently or today. My mother told me about how their generation celebrated Deepavali, and it was my late elder maternal uncle who bought crackers for his siblings. He used to buy a lot of crackers at a reasonable price. He had been smarter during his childhood and also grew up as well. He has been a great support to our family and the good life (through wealth) we lead today is because of him.

I see that, like any other event, today's generation has lost interest in fireworks and Deepavali itself. Aside from the impact of gadgets, I feel the lack of interest in fireworks is due to laziness. This is only a point of view alone, and everyone has their reasons for staying away from fireworks. Of course, Deepavali is not only fireworks. I see Deepavali as a festival (like any other) whose key reason is to share and celebrate harmony together. 

To honor our festival of lights, the mayor of New York City has declared Diwali a citywide public holiday beginning next year, in 2023. And this is not only good news, but it will encourage people around the world to support the festival and learn about our traditional festivals, and it will undoubtedly have an effect. I wish you all a Happy Deepavali! 

My Deepavali celebration Video 2021

I share here a short video on my Deepavali celebration of fireworks. I like fireworks from childhood, and my favorites are night crackers and sky shots. Deepavali is the only time we get a chance to light and watch fireworks; though I only hold up to sparkler, I buy sky shots and fancy fireworks to let someone light on my behalf, and I watch and shoot with interest. The same applied this time, and for a change, my childhood friend (from the neighborhood) lit up the sky shots instead of my cousin, who used to do it yearly, had gone out on a trip. I added some mild 3d effects available with the video editor to make this photos/videos show.

The Rain and Flood Seems Unending to Chennaities

Deepavali passed away quietly, literally, due to the less noise of crackers. Buying and bursting of crackers have come down this year, and there are reasons for that, which was the loss of interest and laziness, and beyond that, the court restrictions and weather, Diwali demanded fewer crackers. I think the Deepavali post can wait sometimes - I'm working on a short video on fireworks - and before that, the rain takes away the charm even before the festive weekend conclude. 

There was rain often around the city for the last few months has filled the reservoirs with enough water, and the saturated earth stopped quenching water has resulted in a flood following the Sunday rain. It was moderate to heavy rain begin from the night of Saturday to Sunday evening has left Chennai city flooded. It was a  heavy downpour recorded in a short period of 12 to 15 hours, reminding the citizens of the 2015 historical flood. 

I woke up in the morning to see our street (pic above and below) turned into a river! Since we live on the main road, the water from every other street (in our area) has to flow through our street and the stormwater drain. The rainwater kept flowing fully throughout the day till night since the stormwater drain was insufficient for the abundant water. 

The Sunday rain measured at 13-24 cm in less than 24 hours. Thankfully, the rain took some break later that night despite the red alert from the Meteorological department; there was some moderate to light rain yesterday and today.  Due to the formation of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal,  the rains will continue over the next week.  

Even before the northeast monsoon began a week ago, it rained sufficiently all over the state, and this monsoon rain will only be a bonus that cannot enjoy, rather people suffer and the water to the sea. The rainwater flooded my neighbor's house and garden opposite to us. If you remember, it was the same neighbor who reworked his garden damaged in last year's Nivar cyclone, who faced a similar situation on Sunday. Though he worked swiftly in pulling out the water, the prediction of rain going be distress to him. 

First time I hear the loud noise of frogs after shifting here. Frogs croak wasn't new to me, and I have listened to their chorus siren plenty in our former apartment with an open plot in front of the house. Now I think I miss many a thing related to rain after moving out from there, but that high-pitched croak reminded me a lot, and I'm glad at the same time we have moved to the first floor, which is pretty safe (during this time) than staying at the ground. 

Let's see what nature held for us, and whatever wish people have the ability to face the crises.

Time to Light - Deepavali

The thought of just a day left for Deepavali brings excitement within. Though the weather wasn't that favorable to celebrate Deepavali - the festival of lights and fireworks - as it kept raining for the last few days and a warning from meteorology that there could be rains across the day of Deepavali. The covid has its share already in defusing the light of Deepavali; the supreme court's guidance has gripped the firework sale, but at masses, these don't matter when purchasing things and celebrating the festival. 

I love rain, and it must keep away drought, but never during the festivals, especially Deepavali. 

I hung rice led serial in our living room for Deepavali 

I see a general feeling of excitement of Deepavali is missing among the people; perhaps their lifestyle changes and influence of gadgets has kept their interest away from the festivals and celebrations. I have fond memories of Deepavali, the most anticipated days of our life - from childhood till now - an inexplicable feeling embraces. Since I grow up lighting fireworks, it has become an inseparable thing during Deepavali, and every year, I buy some fireworks as I enjoy the same. 

During childhood days, we begin celebrating Deepavali a month early to the festival. We buy crackers loosely from the nearby petty shop and burst one by one during the weekends. I recollect how joyful the days are then - with our neighborhood friends, we go for cracker hunting on the day of Deepavali, picking up the unburst crackers on the road to burst. Roaming the street is my favorite pass time, then, and it's fun as we keep talking and walking around the streets in our area.

I miss so many things right away, and when I think back, I feel the pleasure and pain equally. Not only that I miss those days, but I also couldn't make up with the contemporary world, even for the smallest desires and right to be human. Though I buy a variety of fireworks, what I could light was only a sparkler. My world is little with endless vision and works to do, but being a dependent, I could not achieve anything without aid from anyone. 

Hope you all have a Happy and Safe Deepavali! 

Deepavali Shopping

Deepavali or Diwali - the festival of lights - isn't far away! There are many reasons to celebrate Diwali traditionally, and we aren't going into it, but it is one of the grandest festivals celebrated in India. And illuminating lights, which means hope, in other words, is showered all over our lives. 

Festivals are usually associated with people and celebrated together. But being a pandemic time, we are forced to work against that practice of what I believe festivals are. Festivals open doors to new things, like buying new clothes, sweets and anything associated with the same and where could we buy those other than in shops. 

Diwali, being one of the foremost festivals, shopping is unavoidable all over India, and for people living abroad, the shops come up with various discounts and varieties to attract people. I think my last shopping for a festival was perhaps Diwali that was more than 20 years back. I could still remember holding the hand of my parents rush out of Ranganathan street, a shopping street in T.nagar, Chennai, famous for clothing, jewels, and home appliances. 

The popular stores in Chennai like Chennai silks, Pothys, and other parts of the states had already started to rock the television channels with their glistering ads to attract customers. Only Super Saravana Stores Annachi is missing! FYI November 4th is Diwali. 

Today as we complain about seeing the festival rush in the news, we forget we had been one among them then. My parents take new dresses for us only during the festival of Pongal, Deepavali, and Tamil New Year other than the wedding of my uncles and aunt. But these days we avoid festival shopping, and parents visit the stores when they are free, and we need a new dress.

Usually, we don't purchase readymade outfits then, and even today, I wear only stitched clothes according to my comfort. I prefer light color clothes, so I go with any patterns and colors my parents chose. Contrary to me, my brother and other cousins buy banded or trendy clothes. 

Every year for the Ayutha pooja festival - this time October 14th,  my late uncle used to purchase a bunch of clothes for his workers, and it was my mom and aunts do it on his behalf, and it was the big purchase we do. After new clothes, sweets, and snacks, lighting diyas, Diwali is incomplete without fireworks or crackers. 

Since fireworks are my favorite, people who disagree on using fireworks should spare me. These days my only purchase for Deepavali is fireworks. Thanks to the availability of crackers online, I could easily choose the firework I like from the laptop/mobile; the firework is either sent to the home or a nearby freight warehouse where we collect in person.

Many YouTubers these days are busy making fireworks reviews and promoting stores that sell crackers at discounted prices; I chose the most reliable of them. I purchased crackers from Modern Crackers, which sell fireworks online at an 82% offer, but I don't believe their words, and for me, the price was fair enough to purchase. 

The first-time purchase with them went smooth, and they were kind enough to answer the queries and delivered the parcel to the nearest freight warehouse. From there, dad picked it up. As usual, I avoided loud crackers and went behind the cheerful fancy fireworks that emit less pollution than before, known as green crackers. Some crackers bear that symbol on the boxes, and some don't, but they seem to belong to the same. 

I hope you guys have a safe purchase this Diwali season following all the protocols of wearing masks, social distancing, and sanitizing. While celebrating the Deepavali happily, we should not forget those making this possible - the doctors, nurses, and frontline workers with whose cooperation the covid had brought down to the least affected. Moreover, with many sensible people and followers of the rite of the covid protocol.

Thank you

#deepavalishopping 

Deepavali Festival Celebration

Deepavali passed off peacefully, leaving us in a glowing festival of lights and fireworks. The day wasn’t far different from a regular day except for the sound of bursting crackers and night fireworks; I was in a self-celebration mood, spending the evening skywatching from the balcony at the various displays of aerial shots. There’s more than fireworks that are related to Deepavali, but people are no more interested in anything rather than staring or discussing at the mobiles. Smartphones are handled all-day, and people intimate with it like a newlywed, but the lust surrounds it never seems to diminish even on a cheerful, colorful, and sparkling festival of lights.

We had a couple of boys from the backstreet to join the festival night, and we lit some fireworks in the street. I enjoyed watching and taking some photos and videos of fireworks, and my favorites were the sky shots. It's only during this time (of Deepavali), we could see the dazzling show of fireworks in the sky, and the firework mode in the camera is an inspiration for me to shoot a perfect sky shot. But it seldom happens to me, and the GoPro helps me get some decent videos of the fireworks that are waiting to be edited before upload here. I downloaded video editing software and got into trouble as it slowed the system, I uninstalled it, but the system lost its speed and probably would need an OS reinstall. 

Just a week left for my brother’s wedding and everyone is so busy with work schedule, and taking the laptop to service is not possible and insisting couldn’t be right at the moment. So perhaps my blogging couldn’t be regular because I find it really difficult to make a post or upload photos in-between the lag.  Deepavali is always connected with nostalgic memories, and it becomes impossible to drive away from the thoughts of celebration, and I couldn’t stop comparing the past with the current. Though the trend has changed a lot these years – the sound of crackers and smoke level had also drastically reduced this year  – couldn’t create the festival mood naturally these days. I hope you guys had a great festival of lights. And don’t forget to check the short video below, having some glimpses of the celebration.

Happy Deepavali 2020

 Hope you guys have a Great Festival of Lights and Cheerful Weekend ☺

10 Days To Go

I’m counting the days for Deepavali. This year, November 14 is Deepavali or Diwali, and what makes it more special was, it falls on Children’s day – the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, who likes children a lot, thus this day is celebrated as Children’s day – and Deepavali is a festival more likely celebrated by the children like bursting crackers, wearing new clothes, and eating sweets. Deepavali is my favorite festival of all time, and I always look forward to this day for nothing but bursting and watching the fireworks. Kids grown up through the 90s could easily relate to what I mean and bursting how much crackers would be the task of the day and see who ends with abundant trashes in front of their homes.

In later years the loudness of crackers had become not my kind of thing, but my passion for fireworks hadn’t come down quite. The night fancy fireworks were my favorite thing from the past decade, and every year I buy fireworks, to only watch it turning my night into delightful light, and colors as someone lit fireworks on my behalf. Deepavali always surges an excitement in me and roll me down the slopes of memories of childhood, what I consider the best part of my entire life despite my belief of best is yet to come. The festival was in a real festive mood then, and the anticipations were high, to look forward to this day all the year perhaps because I was active then to ignite fireworks on my own to see it blast with great joy.

These days I almost forget this day until the day gets closer. My kind of celebration shrinks a lot at every passing year, and I was confined to my house alone rather than going around the neighborhood to enhance my festival mood by watching things happening around relevant to Deepavali. People’s interests had become varied from me, and they have their own set of activities to look after, and I don’t complain about it, and I can’t demand that they should take me out, and on these occasions, it was the cheerful memories of childhood keeps me going. It’s just 10 days to go for Deepavali, and I started to look forward to how to celebrate the festival, despite the pandemic drawback, I wish everyone had their best part of the festival.

October for Me

 

October, often reminds me of Mahatma Gandhi’s specs perhaps because the O – the first letter of the month October – resembles the shape of Gandhi’s specs and moreover October 2nd is Gandhi’s birthday and it could be the reason to connect O with his specs. Gandhi’s birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanthi and we’re proud to say he’s the father of our nation!  

October Sky is one of my favourite movies and the teens experiment with rockets in the movie reminds me of the childhood days as kids when we explode firecrackers and the Indian festival of light, aka Diwali or Deepavali also often fall on the month of October is appropriate to connect. Diwali is a festival that we could not be far from fireworks or firecrackers and it is fun to play with those and watch rockets boom the sky with light and colours stroke a chord of sight.

Ayutha Poojai is another childhood delight that falls in the month of October this year. The festival celebrates weapons or tools, is conducted to maintain and cleans the machineries that helps in production and day-to-day activities will pull-off for a day or two to give rest to them and worship for the wellness of machineries and business. I grew up watching my uncle’s garage as our home was adjoined then and putting a step outside the home is left into the garage. So I don't need to say how well I put on delight during the Ayudha poojai festival which is celebrated as a family festival that please me when I join the employees  in decorating and cleaning the workshop. The festival was so delightful until my uncle was alive (he passed away in Dec 2001) and later they celebrated the festival but the spirit went missing. You can check the link here to read how delightful the festival was then.

October is the starting season of Northeast monsoon which bestows with rain across south east India and dipping of temperature makes favourable weather for traveling. Except for the areas along the Western Ghats, the Tamil Nadu experiences hot weather across the plains and it is from Oct to Feb the weather turns cooler. And it was the time I love to travel as it is a pleasure to do the same with windows rolled down rather using AC – only for highways cruising and dusty roads – the weather out here is inviting for a ride but I do remember the pandemic isn’t over.  I wish at the same time the monsoon flourishes this year at least to say 2020 wasn’t drought!

Hope all is well at your side and great month ahead.

Fireworks @ Skywatch Friday

Deepavali – the festival of lights – just passed like a blink of light and flash of an aerial firework that treat eyes for few seconds. For my cousin sister, who got married in June, this was her Thala (first) Deepavali after the marriage so she had come home with groom, following an invite by us as per the custom. Thala Deepavali is treated special for every newly married couple that follows the tradition and I could see they had good time cheering the festival of lights in pretty new cloths and spirited while bursting crackers. I wonder how she enjoyed bursting crackers what I haven’t seen in a while, as she ever showed interesting on crackers was different on that day that I could understand it’s all the magic of newly married.

I had a great night that day watching the fireworks that made the new moon sky dazzle in display of colourful fireworks. I felt the crackers sounded a bit louder at my surrounding this year than the previous and many in the neighbourhood had lit auto bombs (and loud crackers) to disturb the ear eardrums and to the unusual my cousin too created some dreadful sound despite my unlikeliness. I’m always against loud crackers and particular about the choice of fireworks I buy that emit less sound and smoke. I enjoy watching fireworks either on the sky or ground level, the emitting of light and sound and the rush of fire creates an emotion that embark to a state of different and light-heartedness. I had fun lighting sparklers, the only firework I could handle enough but I liked capturing fireworks in video and photo modes.

Collage of aerial fireworks display in different forms, shot in firework mode in camera 

I share here some fireworks that lit my sky and the images in collages were all shot from the balcony. I planned to go out during the Deepavali eve to see things happening around but couldn’t move out a bit rather taking the backstreets in wheelchair. I usually go out a day before or on Deepavali night to watch for fireworks displayed in the neighbourhood even though I had the opportunity this time something conscious prevented me.  Glad I could watch some from the balcony and shoot as well.  

Galaxies created by fireworks

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Sunday Photos: Sparkle Fun

During Deepavali I took some fun shots, where I asked my dad to move burning sparkle fireworks in random directions to get these shapes. Every year I used to take some snaps using the firework mode on camera, lighting the sparkles to move in different directors to catch some interesting fire traces. This year it was performed on our balcony, so the moves were restricted to get some simple yet interesting ones.

This give me a perspective of first Tamil letter அ (A)

And this looks as Tamil letter ஒ (O)

Sunday Photos: Fireworks

Some golden aerial fireworks shots from the Diwali night, capture through iPhone from the balcony of our home. 

Following is a short slow motion video of ground chakkara

RGB Monday

Festival lights

Shot from the night before Deepavali! I usually go out to see what happens around during Diwali esp. the evening or night before the festival of lights and mostly to the beaches in neighbourhood where people gather more to just catch up with the mood of Deepavali, and this time I went to Palavakkam beach and watched some fireworks lighting up the sky despite the time restrictions it was wonderful to check out. The photos carry some colourful light decorations from the shops on ECR that I shot when moving around in car. 

Skywatch Friday: Aerial Fireworks

During Deepavali I had wonderful time watching fireworks that repeatedly showed up in the sky from evening to night, from various angles it boomed the sky in dazzling light and colours which kept me active on phone as I have no idea from which direction a firework would light up, I was awake to capture some of the amazing displays. I initially used the camera in firework mode to shoot the same, but as many weren’t repeated kind I shifted to iPhone camera, which is quick at shot, helped me get some neat snaps alike here, from the balcony.

Deepavali this year wasn’t great to cherish or bad to critic, but went neutral where I couldn’t feel anything differenct; instead it was pretty bored for much part of the day as most programs on Television weren’t amusing. And I haven’t watched it as well. Though Supreme Court has set time limit of 8-10pm, which was altered by the state govt. as an hour in morning and night to light fireworks, there were crackers sound from morning to night but that particular time period, Chennai was at its high – the time where we also light some fireworks and joined the smoky eve hehe… it’s been years I have stopped buying noise crackers and also conscious purchasing less smoking fireworks last few years.

Obviously, this year the noise and smoke level was very low compared to former years. Thanks to the hard rule by Supreme Court, that forced people to either give up or control bursting crackers results in only bit rise on pollution level. But to my surprise, when I checked the weather app today, three day after Diwali, the air quality is poorer than what showed on Diwali. I wonder is it perhaps it was national holiday that day, with less vehicle and factory pollution the air quality should have shown better that what bursting crackers created. Huh!

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday