So What Exactly HAPPENS on Divalli ?

I am going to share Divalli with you through pictures so you can get an idea of what happens on this famous festival.


One unique thing about Divalli is that you go around to your friend's home and pay them a visit. Lindsey and I visited our Landlord's house first. We brought them a small gift of Indian sweets and we sat and enjoyed their fellowship. They served us juice and a display of different kind of nuts.

Later that afternoon, we went to visit Anita. She served us chai and Indian sweets as well. We told her that was enough food, but she insisted on feeding us a real meal. So she fed us some chicken- a delicacy for Lindsey and I these days (we have kind of accidentally turned vegetarian) which she informed us that she killed herself. Apparently this was VERY FRESH chicken!

Because Anita is our helper it is appropriate to give more than just sweets. So Lindsey and I had some fun! We strolled through her neighborhood looking like the rich white girls with lots of gifts! We gifted Anita a Sari, a pressure cooker for cooking, and the game Connect Four for the kids!! It was such a joy to see them tear into the gifts!! They LOVED them. It really is more fun to give than recieve sometimes!

Divalli is also the day that families have their own special puja or worship to Laxshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Lindsey and I attended Sunjay and Mona's puja time. We sat in the back and watched, but did not participate. The puja lasted about 20 minutes and consisted of bhajins (songs), chants read from a holy book, lighting candles, offering food to the idol, and prayers. It was honestly fascinating and highly depressing to watch.

After the evening puja, it is customary to give gifts! This is Ericka handing me the gift that her family got me! We then also gave gifts to their family along with Juma and Monica. (Gifts are given individually if you have a very close friendship or relationship. Other than that, you gift something for a person's house or a simple Indian sweet).

After puja and gift giving you light dyas. Divalli is known as the "Festival of Lights" because King Ram defeated evil once and for all and returned to his kingdom after being in exile for many years. Traditionally, people lit dyas to welcome his return. The tradition still continues to this day. I lit dyas for Jesus, because He is the True Light which gives light to all men and He defeated death and evil once and for all!

Finally at about 9:oo we went to Mona's parents home. It was firecracker time!! Firecrackers are huge!! The crazy and dangerous thing is that there are NO guidelines or rules so people shoot them off in very dangerous places. Nevertheless, EVERYONE in the whole city enjoys shooting off crackers! Crackers were heard non-stop for hours the night of Divalli!! Fun times. In fact, as I type this, I still hear fireworks going off!!

We had a lot of fun with the spinners!! We like to jump around them. Why not? We shot off fireworks for about two hours from the roof of Mona's parents house!

Here is Lindsey and I "looking so very smart". This is the phrase Indians use when they think you look nice! Do we look Indian yet? We are trying hard these days!! Secretly we love to wear all the big jewelry and bracelets and the bling bling on our clothes!!

After fireworks we were served dinner at about 11:30 PM!! By this point I was absolutely EXHAUSTED as you can see by the picture!!!

HAPPY DIVALLI!!!