by Dr Dennis Augustine
"Diwali teaches that darkness can always be overcome by light. Let your inner light shine bright."
Cecile and I and our good friends Nelson and Susie Bye celebrated Diwali at the Rinconada Hills Clubhouse in our gated community. Diwali, also called Deepvali and the Hindu “Festival of Lights,” is one of India’s most widely celebrated holidays. It overlaps with other harvest rituals and festivals. It originated in India more than 2,500 years ago, and is celebrated mainly by Hindus and Indians across the Indian diaspora. You don’t have to be Hindu or Indian to celebrate Diwali, and it was a pleasure to enjoy the festivities with members of the Indian community who were wearing their traditional and colorful Indian clothing.
We had an elaborate Indian buffet deemed to be from one of the best caterers in the Bay Area, serving a 3-course meal with delicious appetizers, a main course of an assortment of classical vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cuisine, and a dessert. We were encouraged to get bright colors from our wardrobe and expect to see a showcase of culture reflected in the decor of the room. We were also invited to get out our dancing shoes and dance the night away to the beats of a live Dholi, who played a double-headed drum with great passion and love. There was a great teacher who skillfully showed us how to do a number of dance routines right out of Bollywood and Indian weddings, as well as a professional DJ.
Cecile and I want to thank Rinconada Hills for providing the space, the committee and Indian community that made this possible and our dear friend and neighbor Aniket Singh who was a superb and joyful "master of ceremonies" for this beautiful event, including the fashion show for all the children, men and women. Your welcoming presence, and that of your beautiful wife Sphoorti, and your adorable boys Veer and baby Ved have been a blessing to our community. It was such a joy to see you dance with Veer on your shoulder. May your light and that of your family continue to shine.
