Home, UK 5 November, 2010 8am GMT
So, today brings two festivals that has the memories flooding back…
One of them, Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night) brings memories from my time living in England… the creeping cold weather of November, the “penny for the guy” with friends and a made up cloth guy on a wooden cart, and then looking forward to the warmth from the bonfire that the ‘street’ had done together.
The other, Diwali (Deepavali) although celebrated in England with family, my real memories of this are when I lived in India. Celebrated over a 5 day period, it was the third night that was the most fun… wearing new clothes, eating celebratory food, exchanging of sweets and sweetmeats, the joy of being with family and extended family, the decorations, the men playing cards, the whole house lit with small clay lamps (I remember it being like Clark Griswold’s house in the film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation), and of course the fireworks! I can never forget those. 🙂 I even remember ‘Rangolis’ (coloured floor decorations) being drawn with different colored powders to welcome guests. It was a day when people were supposed to have forgotten their enmities and were friends for that one day…
Does anyone remember the rhyme below? I must admit that I had forgotten quite a few of the lines… Enjoy the story behind Guy Fawkes Night…
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t’was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli’ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England’s overthrow;
By God’s mercy he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do with him? Burn him!
As for Diwali… probably the most important Hindu festival… on the same scale as Christmas for Christians, although celebrated like a New Year. Diwali, the festival of lights, illuminates the darkness of the New Year’s new moon, and strengthens our close friendships and knowledge, with a self-realisation!
Diwali is celebrated on Amavasya – the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin (falls around October/November) every year. It symbolizes the traditional teaching of vanquishing ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Good wins over evil.
Different parts of the Indian subcontinent have differing reasons for the celebrations. The one I was brought up with in Northern India was that it was the day that Lord Ram, his wife Sita and his brother Laxman returned to Ayodhya from 14 years of exile having vanquished Ravan, the demon king of Lanka. To celebrate the return of Lord Ram, who was to take the mantle of King immediately, the cities and far-flung boundaries of the kingdom were lit up with rows of lamps.
I could go on writing about this for ages… but it is already all out there.. so if you are interested in reading more about Diwali, or even Guy Fawkes night… ‘Google it’. 😉
And now for my Movember update for today… well, not much change. It seems as though my facial hair growth has stopped for the past couple of days. Any tips on getting hair to grow faster? One way my hair grows faster is in hot weather and sunshine. Hmmm.. not much chance of that in England this month!
I have my motorbike CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) today and the weather forecast is not good at all. Then again, it is probably better to train in bad conditions as one gets the necessary experience… just like my first flying lesson which was also done in blustery winds and showery weather.
Today’s pic:
Thanks to those of you who are supporting me in this. I have now raised £120 in donations via my Mo Space. I hope more of you can support my ‘Mo’ growth by donating (even if it is just £1 / $1 / Eur 1) to the Prostate Cancer charity via my Mo Space at
http://uk.movember.com/mospace/789888/
In closing, I would like to wish you all a Shubh Diwali… a Happy Diwali. May all of you have a most prosperous and fruitful year, filled with happiness and eternal joy.
My love, as always…
