THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The stars bowed out when Malayalis welcomed the festival of lights with a spree of sparklers, sweets and lamps. With the skies shining with multi-hued fireworks they often forgot that the stars were amiss. Children ran around to light their rockets and jumped up and down with mirth when it touched the sky. Unlike other days, Diwali had streets abuzz with people sharing a word or a sparkler with each other igniting a never-before camaraderie.
Every nook and cranny of the city had a sparkler shop open till the wee hours. Offering an eclectic range of ghee-layered sweets, the sweet-shops were catching up with the season. The festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil thus became an affair that had nothing to do with religious barriers.
There are many stories pertaining to Diwali including one from Ramayana. Rama’s return to Ayodhya after his exile and his victory over Ravana was a matter of celebration for his people. They welcomed their king by decorating their streets and homes with lighted diyas and sparklers. Mahabharata also had a similar story where the people of Hastinapuri celebrated Pandavas return to their kingdom with illuminated streets.
Lord Vishnu’s victory over Narakasura is also one such occasion when the heaven and earth celebrated equally. Stories aside, Diwali has been celebrating for centuries in the country on a day that falls on October or November.
With their hands holding sparklers and hearts brimming with joy Malayalis also celebrated Diwali with panache this year. Express lensman Manu R Mavelil lapped up such brilliant Diwali sequences from the city’s streets.