With Lights, crackers and
sweets, Delhi celebrates Diwali
Indo-Asian
News Service
New
Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Delhi Tuesday celebrated Diwali, the
festival of lights, with dazzle, firecrackers and prayers
for prosperity.
Clad
in new dresses, many thronged temples, distributed sweets
among friends and relatives and greeted "Happy Diwali"
to one and all.
After
the chants of mantra and the puja echoed in the morning air,
the celebrations picked momentum. Boxes of sweets exchanged
hands and firecrackers, a whole range of them, created deafening
sounds.
The
celebrations started early on in the day with people decorating
their homes with colourful rangolis, placing flowers on doorsteps
and on doors.
Later
in the evening, the city glittered with millions of lights
- from tiny earthen diyas to dazzling strings of electric
bulbs that lit up homes, buildings and offices.
Sakesh
Pandey, an IT professional, said: "We went to a temple
and exchanged sweets among our neighbours. The festival symbolises
brotherhood and amity."
Pandey,
however, said he did not waste much money on firecrackers
as they lead to air pollution.
Sunaina,
a social activist, said: "We celebrated the spirit of
the festival. I am completely against noise and air pollution."
However,
Ravi Naik, a college student, said he purchased crackers worth
Rs.1,500. "It's once-in-a-year celebration. I enjoyed
it to the fullest."
Keeping
in mind the law and order situation and the spate of terror
attacks across India over the past few months, Delhi Police
beefed up security in all major markets on the occasion of
the popular festival.
Additional
police personnel were deployed in the city to keep an eye
on suspicious elements.
The
fire service department too had geared up by mobilising its
entire fleet to face any eventuality.
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