A Happy Diwali and Eid Mubarak to ya!

This past weekend was a blast. We held a much-needed celebration in our home. It was the one and only IDCE annual Diwali (Hindu festival of lights) party and it was awesome, despite the hundreds of dollars we collectively spent and the many hours of planning and clean-up. Everyone raved about our last minute henna n' curry Diwali shindig last year. This year it was literally the talk of the town. Random people who were at an art gallery opening showed up at 1:00am citing "whisperings of a Hindi dance party" on Crystal Street. My friend Will provided professional DJing services, complete w/ mixers, turntables and two laptops. So many people sported borrowed saris and salwaar kameez that I felt suddenly transported to the weekend Indian parties of my youth, swimming in a sea of sequin-clad aunties. Well...except for the two kegs.

The highlight of the night for me this year--other than not ralphing on my sari or myself--was the impromptu Bollywood dance performance. I whined all semester about trying to get a dance number together from the movie Devdas, but just couldn't pull it off. A few of us improvised a dance to Dola Re Dola and the forming crowd of 35+ demanded and encore! Emboldened with a shot of Mayan Moonshine from Mexico (thanks to my boss the anthropologist--happy Birthday DE!!!), I felt possessed by the goddesses suddenly and performed the candle dance Sil Sila all by myself. I had never actually done it before, but I was surprised at how smoothly it went. Though I don't speak a word of Hindi, I mouthed all the lyrics which I must have memorized at some point, in addition to rehearsing the dance in my head. Everyone cheered and I was so overwhelmed with joy. Nothing beats entertaining the people you love. That's like our family motto.

Pictures to come this week.