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Happy Diwali


Happy Diwali
Photo Information
Copyright: Prasan Kapoor (kingdome) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 122 W: 3 N: 79] (358)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-11-09
Categories: Event, Mood
Camera: Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/25 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-10 3:07
Viewed: 741
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi All

Yesterday I celebrated Diwali with some of my work-friends as going back home was not feasible due to work. We enjoyed a lot and felt at home. Although there are a number of shots that I tried but seems I need to learn a lot before going in for a firecracker shot :) anyways more importantly the festival is about lights and I captured the spirit of the occasion but missed the action…:)

Ok about the festival…(it would take some good 5 minutes to read all this but I promise it is interesting enough...)
One of the biggest festivals of Hindus, Deepawali or Diwali in India is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and happiness. Diwali is the festival of lights which falls in the month of 'Ashwin' according to Hindu calendar. 'Deepawali' in Hindi means a row of 'diya' or 'deep' which are small baked-mud/clay bowls with oil and a cotton wick for lighting, these are considered more holy and auspicious, they are purchased to light on the Diwali night. Almost every house and street is decorated with lamps, candles or electric bulbs and lights on the day of Diwali.

This festival is celebrated for five continuous days, with the third day being celebrated as the main Diwali or as 'Festival of Lights'. Fireworks are always associated with this festival. 'Lakshmi Puja' that is worshipping 'Goddess Lakshmi' (Lakshmi in Hindi means wealth so the goddess of wealth) is performed in the evening to seek divine blessings of Goddess as lots of people also start new ventures on this day after performing Lakshmi Puja. Thereafter gifts are exchanged among all near and dear ones.

All the simple rituals of Diwali have some significance and a story to tell. The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an expression of obeisance to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity. According to one belief, the sounds of fire-crackers are an indication of the joy of the people living on earth, making the gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another possible reason has a more scientific basis: the fumes produced by the crackers kill a lot of insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after the rains.

In each legend, myth and story of Deepawali lays the significance of the victory of good over evil; and it is with each Deepawali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and hope. From darkness unto light — the light that empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds, that which brings us closer to divinity. During Diwali, lights illuminate every corner of India and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of fire-crackers, joy, togetherness and hope. Outside India, Diwali is more than a Hindu festival; it's a celebration of South-Asian identities. If you are away from the sights and sounds of Diwali, light a diya, sit quietly, shut your eyes, withdraw the senses, concentrate on this supreme light and illuminate the soul.

I found a very interesting link on the web which cites 10 mythical and historical reasons why Diwali is a great time to celebrate. And there are good reasons not just for Hindus but also for all others to celebrate this great Festival of Lights.

Myhtological:

1.Goddess Lakshmi’s Birthday: The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean (samudra-manthan), hence the association of Diwali with Lakshmi.

2. Vishnu Rescued Lakshmi: On this very day (Diwali day), Lord Vishnu in his fifth incarnation as Vaman-avtaara rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali and this is another reason of worshipping Mother Lakshmi on Diwali.

3. Krishna Killed Narakaasur: On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a victory festival.

4. The Return of the Pandavas: According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling). The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting the earthen lamps.

5. The Victory of Rama: According to the epic ‘Ramayana’, it was the new moon day of Kartik when Lord Ram, Mother Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after vanquishing Ravana and conquering Lanka. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with the earthen lamps and illuminated it like never before.

Historical:

6. Coronation of Vikramaditya: One of the greatest Hindu King Vikramaditya was coroneted on the Diwali day, hence Diwali became a historical event as well.

7. Special Day for the Arya Samaj: It was the new moon day of Kartik (Diwali day) when Maharshi Dayananda, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism and the founder of Arya Samaj attained his nirvana.

8. Special Day for the Jains: Mahavir Tirthankar, considered to be the founder of modern Jainism also attained his nirvana on Diwali day.

9. Special Day for the Sikhs: The third Sikh Guru Amar Das institutionalized Diwali as a Red-Letter Day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings. In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid on Diwali. In 1619, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held by the Mughal Emperor Jahengir, was released from the Gwalior fort along with 52 kings.

10. The Pope’s Diwali Speech: In 1999, Pope John Paul II performed a special Eucharist in an Indian church where the altar was decorated with Diwali lamps, the Pope had a ‘tilak’ (a bright red dot on the forehead) marked on his forehead and his speech was bristled with references to the festival of light.

Wishing ‘Shubh Diwali’ (shubh means lucky) to all of you…enjoy and have fun!
Cheers
Silke, Dpbours, hderin, jan515, orkhan has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Enayatimr_TL: Re:kingdome 1 12-19 10:38
To orkhan: Re:kingdome 1 12-02 10:43
To jan515: Re:kingdome 1 11-16 10:40
To Lionel: Re:kingdome 1 11-15 11:32
To Nikas: Re:kingdome 1 11-13 02:54
To shahx: Re:kingdome 1 11-12 10:18
To Dpbours: Re:kingdome 2 11-12 04:44
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To hay_kes: Re:kingdome 1 11-11 04:02
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To harpya: Re:kingdome 1 11-10 09:31
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Prasan,

Beautiful look of this picture,
I like the diagonal, of their lukewarm yellow lights illuminating this beautiful place.
Interesting history, always phallus that TL is a learning library, knowledge and of knowing places and their cultures.
Congratulations for the look and his composition.

Sérgio

  • Great 
  • lavan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 695 W: 2 N: 126] (3446)
  • [2007-11-10 5:24]
  • [+]

good diwali
happy diwali
tfs
regards
lavansj

Hi Prasan,

Nice capture of the Diwali diya. Lovely capture. I see it a bit blurred. Was it intentional? TFS.

Kiran.

Hi Prasan,
Very nice artwork.Excellet light,sharp, colours and POV.TFS.
Cheers!

hAyAti

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2847 W: 263 N: 5947] (23588)
  • [2007-11-11 2:59]
  • [+]

The diagonal and the gentle colours of this make it very special.
Taking pictures like this is very difficult. One tip I would like to offer is to increase your dof. F/3.5 is a touch too shallow to do real justice to the beautiful scene. If the flames are steady, then there is no harm in decreasing the speed by several stops so that you can increase your aperture.
TFS
silke
:D

Hi Prasan,

An extensive note to say the least! I scanned over it quickly, but very informative it is! Nice shallow DoF and use of the limited light in the photograph. Nice.

Greetings, Dennis

Perfect ! My friend...

I love your photos very much really. Wonderful looking and wonderful shot. Excellent composition. Congratulations very very very much :)

Friendly regards :)

Haluk Derinöz

  • Great 
  • shahx Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 88 W: 34 N: 58] (656)
  • [2007-11-12 9:27]
  • [+]

I like the different POV and the changing DOV. Liked the composition as well with the diagonal placement of dias.

  • Great 
  • Nikas Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 369 W: 3 N: 99] (1970)
  • [2007-11-12 17:47]
  • [+]

Hi!

With no doubt our photos are very similar!!!
Good work!

regards
Ana

Bonjour Prasan.
Belle perspective et jolie composition.
Bien vu et bien réalisé.
Bravo !

  • Great 
  • jan515 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2498 W: 56 N: 3862] (17484)
  • [2007-11-16 10:01]
  • [+]

Hello Prasan,
A wonderful composition in the picture. Very good colors and contrast wonderful structure. Very good work and good perspective. Congratulate.
Thanks and kind regards.
Janusz

Interresting to know. I never heard about Diwali before.
About your piuc, it's nice, and DOF is good.

Hi Prasan
nice shot with dreamlike composition.
Thanks a lot.

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