Today (Friday) is the first day of Navaratri, which means "nine day festival" which is exactly what it is. During the next nine days we will go to the dance area set up in the middle of the colony dressed up in traditional clothing and dance at 8 o’clock until sometime around 11. Tonight, all the dancers are wearing red sarees. I have a borrowed one from my host family. My host mother helped me put it on. There is lots of wrapping and folding and pinning involved. I’m also wearing some very nice looking faux jewels and red and gold bangles.
Hopefully I’ll be able to do all the dances but on Wednesday, during basketball, I twisted my ankle really badly. I have weak ankles so it’s not that big of a deal for me but everyone else was really worried. My mom made me stay home from school yesterday because she didn’t want me hobbling around the school. That also means, of course that I had to miss dance practice yesterday and the day before. I also couldn’t go to a friend’s birthday party on Wednesday.
Back to Diwali... during the festival the house is also cleaned and decorative oil lamps are put out to lead Rama home. I don’t know every detail of the traditions and I think many of them are no longer followed in today’s modern society. But I have noticed that, as according to tradition, firecrackers are a very important and popular part of the festival. At some point, it is traditional for brothers to go visit their sisters and follow some kind of ceremony there. I have heard that giving out sweets are is also very popular. I read too that Diwali is often that start of a new financial year for businesses. My last host mother told me that the time to go shopping is always during festivals because that’s when people have their sales.
I will try to take many pictures tonight and in the following days.
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| My host sister, Shruti, and I ready for dancing! |
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| Posing to show off our saris. The color theme was red. |
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