Diwali School Festival

The PTA at Char's school is a very active organization.  The big event they put on every year is for Diwali.  Formal dress is required, which for the girls means having to figure out how to wrap yourself up in a Sari which consists of a blouse, tied skirt and a 5 to 9 yard length of fabric.  The fabric is then tucked into the top of the skirt, wrapped around, pleated in several places and then thrown over the shoulder, with or without a safety pin holding everything in place.  It is still the garment most women wear in South India, though we see a lot of Salwar-Kameeze outfits, and some jeans & t-shirts worn by younger girls.  Somehow Char did manage to keep from unraveling even when we got out on the dance floor. 

Formal dress for the men is much easier.  The traditional outfit is a Salwar-Kameez, but most men wear a western office type shirt and slacks.  Many of the men however wear a Dhoti, which is a short or ankle length piece of  fabric wrapped around the waist.

There were some beautiful Rangoli patterns made with colored rice, flour and sand drawn in the entry.  Women create these floor designs on holidays to welcome the deities and guests, and bring good fortune. 

There was a large Indian buffet set up, with lots of rice, potatoes, vegetable "stews" (curry type dishes), curd, and Tikka (spiced) chicken.  My favorite was the ice cream that took three men to make on a large stone drum.  One turned the crank, another dribbled cream and squeezed out the juice of fresh fruit onto the cold stone, while another scooped it off into a cup. 

The Dandiya dance is a traditional dance with sticks that you clack together by yourself or with a partner.  It can be pretty impressive in a well choreographed group.

Of course no Diwali festival would be complete without another half hour of very impressive fireworks.