Delhi During Dawali

Our tour guide, Jeet, led us on a tour of Delhi and we first went to Jama Masjid. Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque) is located opposite the Red Fort is made of red sandstone and white marble and was completed in 1656. It is India´s largest mosque where more than 20,000 people can kneel in prayer at one time. Then we walked through the Kinari Bazar where many merchants have stores specializing in particular items. Our guide informed us that this section of Old Delhi originally had 100 streets, each with a specialty, such as flowers, or metal works. We were to go by rickshaw, but preferred to walk. The streets are too narrow for cars, but there were certainly many motor scooters. I found a shoe shine business and had to show Genie, but the man did not want a picture. Then we saw an iron with actual coals in the bottom, wow, and I thought ironing was challenging enough! We were required to remove our shoes and to wear the gowns to cover up our legs. In the city, Diwali Festivity preparations were beginning. Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, which is celebrated every autumn in the northern hemisphere. One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual ¨Victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.¨ We had a great education with these first two places.