Pooja Setup
Diwali to NK means mithai and fireworks. Diwali to me means my mom’s murruku, kueh tart, getting ang pao from relatives. Buying new clothes, mum will sew new curtains, new cushion covers. Day of diwali, we wear our new suits and wait for our friends to come. My mum will cook chole bhature and samosas and all the kueh mueh(snacky stuff) that she normally makes. After the friends leave, mum would have her shower, wear another new saree and do the evening pooja. We placed candles and diyas all over. And then sparklers all night long. The next day, we would head to a relative’s house, where my entire kandaan would come. All the cousins, chachas and bhuas would then sit down to play Blackjack(hey its teaching Maths skills). The mininum bet was 10cents and maximum would have either 50/75cents or $1,depending on how generous the ang pao would have been.One of my chacha’s would become the banker and it was banker take all or pay up. My fav bhua, Sonia and I would try and cheat and exchange cards to help the others. Fun Times!!
I have always made it point to insist that the kids wear their traditional Indian outfits and that we do the pooja and lit diyas. So far, I have done it each year. Last year we were in the midst of moving and NK wasnt with us and it was small affair.
Oldest doing aarti
This year, I had saved new outfits from our trip last year. I had brought stuff for the Gods and Goddess especially for Diwali from India.And it was fantastic. My pooja set up looked really good.The smell of the sandalwood incense made the house seem very holy and spiritual. My kids and I looked fantastic. We did our pooja, skyped with inlaws, packed the food I had cooked and left for a friend’s house. We came back home at 3.20a/m. Yup it was that fantastic.
Avasha covered her head by herself
Pretty bangles
Was doing Aarti with palla
Hamari taraf dekhi zara, said NK
Then he said palla ka nautanki hatau
The youngest doing aarti
The pooja set up looks great !!! Happy belated Diwali you all !!!! You look gorgeous and pretty in the saree.
Me: Same to same. You know this comment came in just as I was leaving one on your blog.
Happy Diwali S..! All of you like great and love the way you maintain the good old traditions:).Even though I do not celebrate Diwali , my bro and I used to go to a friend’s place when we were little and take part in the festivites:). ! As a religious festival I celebrate Xmas and this is going to be the first one since I got married:)..I hope I can make it special for hubby and me in the same way that I used to celebrate it in India.! Btw , you need to spam people to vote for you once more!..I’ve been trying to vote for you twice a day:)
Me: Thanks for voting!! But I am done spamming my friends. I would be annoyed if someone else spammed that frequently. Kismet mei nahi tah! I dont even go check the other profiles.
nazar`na lagey but I quite liked the Gita bani Sita look!!
Me:hahahaha
very sweet pics!!
Happy diwali again..
Would you believe it,this year we didnt take even a single picture!dart!
Me: I hate it when that happens. I think I dont have a single picture from last year.
Oh, Sunita, that close up picture of you is so beautiful. Just…really gorgeous.
You look pretty in the sari! Glad you had a lovely time:) Belated happy Diwali!
Happy Diwali!
Happy Diwali! And all of you look gorgeous!
Happy Deepawali ! Love the celebrations, the haircut and how you look in ethnic clothes!
Have been a lurker so far.
The photos made me comment. LOVED them, and I admire your effort to make it all happen even when you are so so away from home.
Me: Waves hello
Happy Diwali – belated!
Wow! The pics are lovely! You are looking so lovely in the saree! Sounds like you guys had a wonderful Diwali!
Very nice puja setup. I think the sari with pallu suited you a lot.
Hey, u forgot the alu ki roti..And u also forgot before mum does the diya, we will go to aji’s house first..
And these days, our min blackjack is $1.
Yr pallu nautak is awesome..100 points…
Ava really learn well from her nani..She did it by herslef is it?
U look nice…All of u look nice.Would have made a power indian family photo…
Me: I forgot the frying of the roti.Our time was 20cents, imagine! Hey next year, Renu would have to give out ang pao money right? Or must wait till have kids?
Waaa pallu and all haan? Sati Savitri types!
Lovely! and you look awesome in the saree
Beautiful pictures! Happy Diwali.
You guys had loads of fun till 3 am?? wow!! awesome pics and belated diwlai wishes to u all.
Me:It was crazy fun. Example of convo at 1.45a/m
Friend No 1: NK tumko pyar se kya bulatay hai
Me(without no hestitation whatsoever): Curail
Hysterical laughter follows. Men enquire why we were laughing. I go up and tell NK what was asked and what I answered.
Friend No1: Ab yeh samej mei nahi aa rahe ki tum appni insult kar rahi ki NK yah meri.
The last line, I didnt know what to make out of it, so I just ignored
Happy Diwali! Looks like you had a great fest.
Wishes ..belated but heartfelt to the entire Sraikh household
You do look so very sweet on the Saree pic …adorably sweet!
oh man, your cheekbones! To die for! I like the Pallu look too, simply because it goes with the bangles and overall look.
Belated Happy Diwali.
M
Me: Same to you M
You look fabulous – great haircut! Happy Diwali.
Me: Thanks Era
hey lovely pooja snaps and pics of all…kala tikka!
Me: Thanks Sole
happy diwali and the celebs look fab just like you guys!
hugs
looking pretty!
Oh you look the good sati savitri n all here
lolz at ignoring the last line…maybe she was drunk or sad that her hubby didn’t call her anything pyar se??