Happy Diwali everyone! Diwali, Divali, or Deepawali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal) (Markiscarali) is a major Indian and Nepalese festive holiday. What started as a harvest festival in ancient times, became associated with many legends and became a significant festival in Hinduism and some of the other faiths which originated in India - Jainism and Sikhism. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Light," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. The festival is also celebrated by Buddhists of Nepal, particularly the Newar Buddhists.

The most popular legend associated with Diwali today is the homecoming of King Rama of Ayodhya after a 14-year exile in the forest. The people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (deepa), thus its name, Deepawali, or simply shortened as Diwali….(don’t you just love Wikipedia he he he he !)

The best bit about the festival is that we have a day’s holiday today, which means I have more time to update you on the latest! Guyanese in their wisdom and their diversity pretty much celebrate any festival that they can think of, no matter what religion or beliefs they may have. It is quite refreshing as in general it would seem that the different cultures and religions seem to get along with each other (I guess in exchange for sharing the odd holiday here and there!) Interestingly the concept of not having a religion or a church which you visit is almost unheard of so I try and avoid those conversations if I can….it is easier to be a little vague unless you want to get regular invitations to join a particular church service.

Last night we walked again up to the sea wall to watch the motorcade, it was really busy with most, it seemed, of Georgetown wedged along the wall and the grass verges, a variety of cars and trucks passed (several hours it seemed after they were expected but hey) trying to outdo the previous with an array of lights and loud music, lots of the people on the floats were dressed in traditional costume and I have to say it was pleasing to watch albeit a bit of a sensory overload… but I am slowly getting used to that now!….

There were also the customary firecrackers and heavy duty sparklers, which I have to say made me slightly nervous! Apparently the Guyanese worry little about risk assessments at such events. Unfortunately there was one injury of the night…. no it didn’t involve fire crackers or roaming fireworks but a hole….poor Camilla in an attempt to capture the perfect Dawali motorcade shot managed to fall down one of the rather large hole/trenches which run along the side of the road ( I have to say I felt a little guilty as I was so rapt up in my own photographic experience I didn’t even notice..ooops!). Many of the roads have them, for I guess drainage (essential because of the floods), but no one has yet thought it a good idea to maybe highlight them in some way for those of us who are not yet used to jumping a foot on leaving the ‘pavement’.Anyway she now has a pretty impressive looking war wound down her leg, elbow and side and a chunk out of her toe, she looks like she has gone five rounds with a rather large wild cat… being the brave soldier that she is she has put it down as ‘another good story to tell’...good for her!