BOMBS AND CRACKERS AND SCARED LITTLE DOGGIES

This is Diwali. The vet was handing out sedatives for the dogs. Lady thought it would do more harm than good, so none for me. You can't imagine the sheer volume of the bombs and firecrackers. Well, with 18 million people celebrating at the same time it gets noisy. This is my least favorite day of the entire year. The bombs and crackers have been going off for two nights now, but this is the big night. Sounds like a war. It will go on all night. Our landlord and his family came over last night to bring Lady gifts. She got a lovely box of chocolates (not for me), a box of Indian sweets, and a Buddha head incense burner. Our upstairs neighbor brought us a huge box of biscuits (cookies). Lady and I give out biscuits and sweets at Christmas. All the workers (iron wallas, street sweepers, guards, house helpers, garbage collectors) all expect a bonus at Diwali, but now they know Lady gives at Christmas, and no one came with their hand out. Another tradition along with the giving of gifts, the loud noises, stringing lights, lighting candles (I think they'll set the neighborhood on fire there are so many candles lit everywhere on our lane), the visiting friends and family gatherings, is to paint rangolis outside your door. In the past, well-meaning friends have painted Hindu symbols in front of our door. We're not Hindu. So Lady buys the colored sand and "paints" our own rangoli. I tried to help but Lady says I messed it up.

Lady brought home take out fried rice and spring rolls. We were watching (or trying to) TV. I helped myself to the rice and spring rolls. Lady didn't scold me. I am so scared she feels sorry for me. So, with my big warm blanky, I am headed for bed.

LIGHTS and SCARY NOISES -IT'S DIWALI

 This is our building. Thursday is Diwali, or FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. I call it "THREE DAYS OF SHAKING AND BEING SCARED." Lady wanted to take more photos in the 'hood, but I wouldn't let her take me off our lane. But, you get the idea. Lady's photos didn't turn out so well.

This is the entryway to my house. The ground floor humans lit up the trees in our hallway! I take care of business in record time during Diwali. It's too loud and scary, but the lights are pretty. To our Indian friends, Happy Diwali!

Diwali Aftermath

Man! It's hard to navigate around all the mess, so I just pee on it. I think the worst is over. Here are some photos from the night, and the morning after.

View from my balcony

View the other way

Those decorations are made with sand and are called rangolis. There are also clay oil lamps that the landlady's grown-up kids lit. They set off soooo many crackers and bombs right under our living room window!

You can see the mess it leaves. My girlfriend came by to visit.

I like her, but it is annoying when she bites my ears. I just want to dance.

The whole street looks like this, but the sweepers will come and clean most of it up.

Here is another example of a rangoli. all of the homes have them somewhere.

Hmmm. Good place to mark, but Lady won't let me because they recycle.

Bang! Pop!Pop!Pop!Ka-boom!

Yep, it is festival season again -Diwali -my most dreaded time of the year! It's worse than New Year's. Fireworks are for sale on every corner. Kids are practicing for the big festivities tomorrow and the next day. It will be non-stop crackers and fireworks for three days. Hard for a little dog to take care of business. I go out, I hear a cracker, I turn and run back to my gate-finished or not. This festival is as big as Christmas is for the Christians. They buy all kinds of new stuff, give gifts, and visit their families. Lady made treats for our landlady's family. She gives me a treat when I hear a loud BOOM! It doesn't really help me stop shaking, but I enjoy Beggin' Bacon Strips anytime. Sometimes though, I am so nervous I can't even eat. 
I've been at the Children's Home again. Lady went on a trip. I jumped too much there and was crying for a couple of days, but I am feeling better. It's really cold, so I think my arthritis is kickin' in. Lady gave me a feel-better pill. At least we have a lot of sun. When I lie in the sunbeam I feel good...until the BOOM Pop bang!

Survived First Night of Diwali

Well, I survived the first night. Lady gave me lots of treats when the bombs went off, but I threw up this morning. On her new silk rug. She didn't even scold me. At least I didn't flood the hallway as I did yesterday morning. I was so embarrassed! I told Lady I had to go, but she took too long getting some clothes on. She didn't scold me. That injection makes me really thirsty so I drink a lot. It has to go somewhere! That's why we were out late last night, but I didn't last long in all that noise. Here are some shots of our street last night.

Diwali is the most popular of all the festivals in South Asia. It is also celebrated by Jains and Sikhs. Because of the lights, fireworks and sweets involved, children love it. It's as big as Christmas is to the Christians. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance, although the actual legends that go with the festival are different in different parts of India. For many Indians the festival honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. People start the new business year at Diwali, and some Hindus will say prayers to the goddess for a successful year.Some people build a small altar to the goddess and decorate it with money and with pictures of the rewards of wealth, such as cars and houses.Hindus will leave the windows and doors of their houses open so that Lakshmi can come in. Diwali lamps are regarded as making it easy for Lakshmi to find her way to the houses. 

I guess these neighbors really want Lakshi to find them. 

Many of the houses on our street are adorned with fresh flower garlands or fake ones.

View from our balcony.

This is me headed home after kids lit some crackers in front of us! Despite my wobbly legs, I turn on a dime and high-tail it home! I am currently curled up in my yellow blankie on the sofa in front of the heater. I took Lady out early this morning!