Yesterday was Diwali, and I had a fantastic time celebrating. I had invited a few Couchsurfers to join the festivities—two students from the US and two travelers from the UK. They arrived at my home around 6 o’clock, and we spent some time sharing our travel experiences in India. Later, my Uncle Udo joined us. My mother started the evening with a puja, and then we decorated the entire house with candles. Typically, I don’t buy or light fireworks, but this year I had plenty because some friends had brought them.
We went up to the roof to set off the crackers. It was the first time in fifteen years that I had fired crackers myself. I’m not a fan of fireworks because they pollute the atmosphere. The smoke from the crackers was noticeable, and I prefer decorating with candles, enjoying good food, and hosting dinner parties. Many people in Varanasi gamble during Diwali night, and although I gambled for the first time last year at Bunti’s family place, I couldn’t make it this year despite their invitation. Diwali is particularly significant for Aghoris, who perform a special puja at a cremation ground between midnight and 1 a.m.
I was keen to witness this but missed it again this year because the person who was supposed to accompany me didn’t call. I waited for him, but by the time it was past 1 o’clock, it was too late to go. After firing the crackers, we had a delicious dinner with plenty of sweets—it was a delightful evening. I had heard warnings about foreign girls facing threats in Varanasi after dark, but I hadn’t taken them seriously, thinking they were exaggerated. However, when Abbie and Emily, the US students, expressed concern about walking back to their guesthouse alone, I accompanied them. This experience made me realize that the guidebooks were right.
As we walked, people commented on the foreign girls. Some offered them crackers to light, others complimented their looks, and a few tried to harass them. It was overwhelming and eye-opening. I had never encountered such behavior around the Assi neighborhood before; perhaps it is more prevalent in the downtown area. Despite the unwanted attention, they eventually reached their guesthouse safely, and I returned home.
Happy Deepavali Art. We purchased some saplkrers for the kid’s sake this year. Now that we know we can buy fireworks, I am not sure if we can go back to the days when we used to not have any here! But back home, my brother’s family have stopped buying fireworks, two years in a row. So maybe some people can celebrate diwali without them!