Happy Diwali !!!
Diwali, or Deepawali, is one of the biggest and grandest festivals of India. Celebrated across the globe by Indians as the "Festival of Lights," Diwali signifies victory of good over evil.
The celebration focuses on lights and lamps, particularly the traditional deep or deeya (earthen lamp), and fireworks.
As with other Indian festivals, Diwali signifies many different things to people across the country:
In north India, Diwali commemorates the homecoming of Lord Rama of Ayodhya after a 14-year exile in the forest and the defeat of the demon king Ravana. On this day, he returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and younger brother Lakshman to claim his kingdom. The people of Ayodhya welcomed him back by lighting up rows of lamps (deepa-wali) to help guide the way.
For Gujaratis, and Marwaris, Diwali marks the worship of Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) and also the beginning of the new financial year. For Bengalis, it is the time to worship Goddess Kali or Durga.
Diwali also marks the end of the harvest season in most of India. Farmers are thankful for the year gone by, and pray for a good harvest for the year to come.
Everywhere, Diwali signifies the renewal of life and is an occasion for much celebration.
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Pillars : we all need support @ Rajaon ki Baoli, Mehrauli
A great view of the Viceroy Lodge in Shimla along with its grounds
Pushkar has five principal temples, many smaller temples and 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred water. One of the primary temples is the 14th century temple dedicated to Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.
Boy looking at other group of Camels @ Pushkar Camel fair 2008
Theatre Performance @ Kamani Auditorium, Delhi : "Loutti And The Golden Girl"
Here light is passing through the flower (this is the bottom side)... I am clicking this photograph by sitting down so that Camera doesn't get reflected light from the background...
Photographers clicking Sunset photographs @ Pushkar Camel Fair 2008
A rose is a perennial flowering shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp thorns. Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa.
Sunset view from Mall Road, Shimla. 
Cedrus deodara is a species of cedar native to the western Himalaya in eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, north-central India (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand states), Kashmir, southwesternmost Tibet and western Nepal, occurring at 1500-3200 m altitude. It is a large evergreen coniferous tree reaching 40-50 m tall, exceptionally 60 m, with a trunk up to 3 m diameter. It has a conic crown with level branches and drooping branchlets
Night View of Viceregal Lodge, Shimla![Posted by Ripple (VJ) : SHIMLA: Side view of Indian Institiue of Advanced Studies Shimla (Night View) The building that houses the Institute was originally built as a home for Lord Dufferin, Viceroy of India from 1884 - 1888 and was called the Viceregal Lodge.[2] It housed all the subsequent viceroys and governor generals of India. It occupied the Observatory Hill, one of the seven hills that Shimla is built upon. Many historic decisions have been taken in the building during the Indian independence movement. The Simla Conference was held here in 1945. The decision to carve out Pakistan and East Pakistan from India was also taken here in 1947.[2] After India gained independence, the building was renamed Rashtrapati Niwas and was used as a summer retreat for the President of India. However, due to its neglect, Dr. S Radhakrishnan decided to turn it into a centre of higher learning. Side view of Viceregal Lodge Shimla](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvN2fcnuXa_2A9NjZdo28hhOWjVe7q8M5g4tLZSjm-Sj4pTYQMtiuWMa1vTezbcOCzRpIgvbDEOh4EJHKPHmccwg9_dehvsf-Mdivw7luN1GbhoCadResWnj4Apy7rqA3_WuE-ykmmsop/s1600-h/IIAS+Shimla-1.jpg)
Side view of Viceregal Lodge Shimla (Night View)
Light passing through window @ Old Fort, Delhi
Interior of Purana Qila
QALA-I-KUHNA-MASJID: The single-domed Qila-i-Kuna Mosque, built by Sher Shah in 1541 is an excellent example of a pre-Mughal design. The prayer hall inside has five elegant arched niches or mihrabs set in its western wall. Marble in shades of red, white and slate is used for the calligraphic inscriptions and marks a transition from Lodhi to Mughal architecture. A second storey provided space for female courtiers to pray, while the arched doorway on the left wall, framed by ornate jharokas, was reserved for members of the royal family.
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