Akshardham in Gandhinagar shines during Diwali
City streets on Saturday wore a deserted look as several offices were closed due to the weekend.
“If someone went back a century, they might see houses and areas illuminated by earthen lamps and the festival celebrated through homemade delicacies,” he said. “For us, the festival means homemade sweets, celebrating with family, and Lakshmi Pujan,” said Smita Rajyaguru, a resident of Vastrapur. Ahmedabad: For a city whose founding story is linked to a sentry stopping Goddess Lakshmi from leaving, the festival of Diwali — often associated with Lakshmi Pujan in the evening — holds special significance. Historians point out that the city’s mercantile history is intertwined with the festival. For most markets, ranging from the textile hub of Kalupur to the spices bazaar of Madhavpura, the festive season heralded the end of transactions. The new books of accounts are prepared from the first day of the month of Kartika (Kartak in Gujarati calendar). The last transactions are done on Dhanteras or the 13th day of Ashwin (Aso in Gujarati calendar). “Firecrackers came much later, and so did the decorations. others chose to be with friends and family While many decided to make the most of the extended holidays with short outstation trips. “The typical day starts with making rangoli and putting a new toran on the main entrance of the house. In the evening, after Lakshmi Pujan, we set off firecrackers.”
Prof Ramji Savaliya, former director of the BJ Institute of Learning and Research, said that the Diwali of yore was slightly different from the one observed today. In rural areas, the festival was also closely associated with cleaning and worshipping the cattle. ” But on Sunday, the festival will be of light and sound.
