A year ago tonight I was with Harish in Kolkata riding around on his motorcycle watching fireworks. Tonight I rode to the airport under the flickering light of continual fireworks.  The city is lit up with strings of lights. The abundance of lights and decorations reminds me of the small towns I grew up in or maybe a movie memory of a 1950's Christmas where they went all out on lights and decorations. 

Diwali is like Christmas and American Independance Day wrapped together. Lights, treats, gifts and fireworks.  It is a magical time and next year I need to stay put and enjoy it.

You can buy cheap (in both senses of the word) and huge fireworks everywhere here. They are on the scale approaching what a small town would buy in the US for their 4th of July Extravaganza.  It is another "India Moment" to see a 6 year old clutching a roman candle big enough to earn a felony conviction in the US.  Worse is when you see the kids crowding around these explosives with a book of matches.

Needless to say we had our fun as well. A certain 13 year old pyromaniac in our family has been loving it.  And I am just crazy enough to indulge him with 50lbs of rockets and firecrackers.

Our driver is insistent that good Christians shouldn't celebrate Diwali. I couldn't even begin to explain the religious background of the holiday, but I am not going to pass up such a good reason to be cheerful, eat sweets, hand out gifts and light fireworks.

I am on my way back to the US for a week. For most of the last 8 weeks we have been in India I have been looking forward to this trip, but the actual leaving was as hard and unwelcome as leaving home in years past for business trips. I guess home really is where the heart is.

From Kuala Lumpor -- Happy Diwali,

Shawn