Menomellay; Festival Play

It was Deepavalli (Diwali) on the 10th. Festival of the lights. The commemoration of the return to Ayodhya of Prince Rama and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after fourteen years of exile and some major events. Like Sita getting kidnapped by the Lankan king Raavana. He of the ten heads. Not that he actually had ten heads, you understand; this is just the story-telling way of explaining that the bloke was a polymath. Yes he was behaving badly, but he was not an entirely bad man - until he lost his head(s) over his lust for the lady.

Anyhoo; Rama and his army of many beasts (there were monkeys and bears and elephants and squirrels...all had their part to play) overcame the nasty man and within fourteen days of the victory in the South, they go all the way back to the North and their home city.

The citizens were super excited at having their favourite prince headed back to town. Just in case he might miss them, the lit the place up with deepas (little clay oil lamps); every spare shelf, wall, window sill and roof top was covered with the deepas, ready for the homecoming. Then there was the food...... phenomenal amounts of food... and dancing... Yup it was a right ol' knees up.

Thus, the deepas are lit every year in homes everywhere, and family who have lived away take this time to return, and share food, and dance...

There is a lot of decoration also. ...okay, so there is a lot of decoration for any Indian festival... but things get REALLY  spruced up for Diwali. Floor decorations called rangoli are a specialty. Some are done with different coloured rice flour; and some with flowers.  Thought you might like to see...

SHUBH DIWALI!!!