Festival of Light

I was lucky to get a close up view of the goings on in a Hindu temple on Deepavali day. Believers here with their families in obligatory new clothes praying. It's all quite colourful. The worship itself is quite different from what I'm used to from my Christian background. In a temple such as this, there are many niches each housing a deity. Pictured is the main niche facing the entrance (of sorts, the structure is open with columns instead of walls) of the hall in which the main deity of this temple is wherein the priest is performing some rituals of offering and prayers as believers look on.

It's more a temple complex, really, as there are 3 other smaller structures housing other deities. There's one at the entrance of the complex housing the Sun and 9 planets around Him.

Believers arrive, barefoot, and visit each of the deities, circling each hall and finally arriving at the main niche as the priest performs his prayers. They tell him their names and horoscope stars and he offers them up to the gods in prayer in Sanskrit. (This is what I'm told.) People walk hither and tither, children more noisily. When they're done, they leave. There's no coming in and leaving at a predetermined time, paroxysms of sitting standing kneeling, choral singing of songs or sermons on good behaviour. Not even readings of the Vedas. I get the feeling that the practice and worship in Hinduism is a very individual matter.

Spent the better part of the day and night in Priya's place being fed the most heavenly food by her mother. I swear that the moment her food touched my tongue my heart stopped and my soul found peace. Lots of noise and merriment with the friends especially the best friend from uni, whom I miss sorely. Watched some Tamil movies on the tele while snacking and laughing at each other. Watched 2 horror movies in 24 hours, that's one more than my tri-annual quota. Don't know how I'm going back to an empty house to sleep tonight.

All Deepavali traditions cleared for the year!

I've promised to bake cookies and stuff for Christmas this year. GBBO got the better of my judgement.