It’s that time of the year again. Diwali’s here (and at the time of publishing this post, almost over).
I don’t like Diwali very much. I hate the firecrackers and noise, the smoke and pollution it brings with it leaving me ill by the time the festivities get over. It’s a time I get all irritable and morose and develop a Scrooge-like persona. Well, not really, but almost.
The only saving grace about Diwali and also the only thing I like about this time of the year is the Diwali market that springs up all over — stalls selling lanterns, clay lamps, sweets, flowers, rangoli powder, clothes … So, every year, the week before Diwali is for walking through the various markets in the city and enjoying the buzz, the colour, the wares on sale and sometimes buying them as well. Like this set of beautiful diyas I bought a few years back.
This year, too, was no different. So amidst stocking up on my anti-allergens and inhalers in readiness for Diwali, I also explored the markets in Chembur, Matunga and Vashi. For the first time, I also took pictures, thanks to my new smartphone with a smarter camera. 🙂
Come, see what fascinated me in the markets and duly captured by my camera phone. 🙂
Lights, lights and more lights. I just couldn’t get enough of them.
Diwali decorations made from shiny paper…
All that glitters of not gold. Clay diyas painted with metallic gold-coloured paint.
Gorgeous rangoli colours…
And rangoli stickers too !
Lakshmi and Ganpati idols for the Lakshmi Pooja on Diwali day
Flowers, flowers and more flowers…
Waiting for customers to buy sweets…
It’s not easy navigating the over crowded markets with the haphazard stalls, vehicular traffic, parked vehicles and the shopping crowd. Ordinarily, the crowds itself would have deterred me from visiting the markets, but the Diwali markets are too fascinating to resist. The bargaining, the display of wares, the colours, the smells, the hopeful looks on the seller’s face… All this gets me through Diwali. 🙂
Over the years, I have found that every year the markets are different reflecting the trends and designs and even aspirations of that particular period. Therefore, it’s no surprise that I look forward to them every year. There are some things that I mark in my diary at the beginning of the year; the Diwali market is one of them.
Happy Diwali, dear reader. 😀
Tell me, what do you like or dislike about Diwali?
My Favourite Things 
Gorgeous pictures, lovely blog. Happy Diwali! 🙂
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Welcome here, Ambertesia and thank you for your kind words and wishes. A belated, but Happy Diwali to you too 🙂
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I don’t like crackers…lighting expensive fireworks …such waste of money when some people are in dire need of that 😦 But I do like the warmth and love the festival brings in with it 🙂
Lovely pictures… 🙂
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I don’t like crackers either; in fact, I’m petrified of them. My entire Diwali experience is actually soured by the presence of crackers – at least when I was a kid. It is better now 🙂
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I hate crackers too.. Never lit them 🙂 I love the eating part of the festival :p and love the lights!
Hope you had a great Diwali!
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I’m not much of a foodie, so that part of Diwali doesn’t attract me. But say if there were a festival that revolved around serving chaat as the main food items… that would be different 😀
I had a usual Diwali. Hope you enjoyed the Diwali goodies 🙂
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Happy Diwali. It’s my fav festival..I so miss my Diwali in Mumbai..Loove the rangoli, lamps..amazing pics…crackers is one of my pet peeves..hate them.
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Happy Diwali to you too, Vishal. I hope it was a good one.
And crackers, lets not talk about them, shall we? 😉
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Lovely pictures Sudha. I am actually envying your Nokia now.
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Thanks, Neena. The Lumia 1020 is good fun. You can borrow it any time, you know. 🙂
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Lovely pictures 🙂 lovely post! Sigh.. Diwali is really over
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Yes, yes. Diwali is really over. Thank God for that 😛
And thanks also for the compliments on my photography skills.
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The most irritating aspect of Diwali is the “Diwali baksheesh ” demanded by just about everyone you know ( or dont!) Assorted people materialise from nowhere demanding “sahab, Diwali” . And even if you do oblige them, be prepared for that icy stare if your largesse doesnt match up to expectations!
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Welcome here, Navjot and thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. Great to see you here.
Ah ! Diwali Baksheesh. Those dreaded words. In my housing society, it is a thing of the past now. We don’t encourage individual Baksheesh and the society decides on an amount and doles it out. I wasn’t too keen on this proposal initially, but now am happy that it is has worked out and I don’t have to give baksheesh to people I have never met.
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Waking up early in the morning like we Tams do to celebrate Diwali is my pet peeve. Why can’t we celebrate Diwali at a more humane hour like say 2:00 PM in the afternoon? That and the Diwali marandhu – that is the stuff of nightmares
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Waking up early in the morning is torture. And At my place, I would be the one woken up first and sent for the Ganga Snanam. But I like the Leghiyam; perhaps that is the only good thing about Diwali for me. In fact, I have a little every day now all through the year.
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