Diwali fetival in October and November in India

Diwali is a five day festival that represents the start of the Hindu New Year. It honors the victory of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. It also marks the start of winter. Diwali is one of the most popular Indian festivals. It is celebrated 20 days after Dussehra, on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin (Aasho) in (Oct/ Nov) every year. This occasion is mentioned in the religious books as stating its origin, when Lord Rama returned to this kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
The whole kingdom was lit up with divas (earthen lamps) to celebrate his return. To this day houses all over India glow with the twinkle of innumerable divas, candles and lights on Diwali day.

 

 Throughout the whole of India. However, the festival isn't widely celebrated in the state of Kerala, as it's not part of their culture. This is because Diwali has traditionally been a festival of wealth for merchants, and being a Communist-ruled state, the Hindus of Kerala have never freely engaged in trade.

One of the best places to experience Diwali is in the "pink city" of Jaipur, in Rajasthan. Each year there's a competition for the best decorated and most brilliantly lit up market. It's a dazzling display that attracts visitors from all over India.

Festival of Light

 

 

Preaparing for Festival

 On the third day, lots of small clay lamps (called diyas) and candles are lit and placed in houses, and fireworks are let off everywhere, giving Diwali its name of “Festival of Lights”. People also clean and decorate their homes with Rangoli (Hindu folk art), buy new clothes, gamble, and give each other gifts and sweets during the festival.

The candlelight makes Diwali a very warm and atmospheric festival, and it's observed with much joy and happiness. However, be prepared for lots of loud noise from the fireworks and firecrackers going off. The air also becomes filled with smoke from the firecrackers, which can add to breathing difficulties.

It's a good idea to protect your hearing with ear plugs during Diwali, especially if your ears are sensitive. Some crackers are extremely loud, and sound more like explosions. The noise is very damaging to hearing.

Candles for Diwali

 

Holi Festival of Color - one of the most intersting festival in India

Holi is one of the big festivals with people in India and other countries with large Hindu populations. Holi is called the Festival of Color because it is celebrated by playing with vibrant color. People smear on each other face and playfully plash colorful paint with colored powder and water during the celebration. The festival is known for the generous use of colors, which are produced both naturally and artificially. Gulal is the main color in this festival and people also use variety color such as pink, red, green, yellow...etc

Dry Holi colors known as 'Gulal' and wet colors or 'Rang' were originally prepared naturally from the flowers and other products that had dyeing properties. However, with time, in the quest of more long-lasting and strong colors, chemically enhanced and artificial colors have come in vogue. The harmful effects of these chemicals on our body and eyes have forced us to do a turn-about to the natural colors. However, you certainly don't need to disappoint as one can create beautiful reds, greens, blues, saffron, yellows and magentas at home, and that too naturally. 

Some amazing pictures about Holi Festival of Color...

People smear colored powder on each other during Holi celebrations in the northern Indian city of Amritsar

Revellers take part in Holi celebrations in the northern Indian city of Allahabad

 

Colored powder is thrown on a girl during Holi celebrations in the southern Indian city of Chennai, India

Students smear each other with colored powder during the celebrations of Holi, in Kolkata, India

Purple-colored water is sprayed on revellers during Holi celebrations in the northeastern Indian city of Guwahati 

Source: www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/holi_the_festival_of_colors.html

Thailand's Festival of Lights

As the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually in mid-November) lights up the night sky, throughout the Thai kingdom, hundreds of thousands of ornately-decorated krathong or traditional banana leaf floats are set adrift in rivers and waterways in a spell-binding ritual called "Loi Krathong" - the 'festival of lights". This is one of the Kingdom's oldest and best-preserved traditions.

Some beautiful images about Thailand's Festival of Lights...

 

 

 

Source: Collection from Internet