Diwali, part do

Happy Diwali... again! Yesterday was Deep Diwali, a little quieter a celebration, but plenty of lights nonetheless. I believe this celebration focuses more on the spiritual side of things and less on the fanfare. Fireworks were essentially non-existent and there wasn't a full-blown concert going on next door. We also had paneer at the ashram for the first time, palak paneer to be more exact. If you've ever been to an Indian restaurant you probably know that palak paneer is spinach with cheese curd. The spinach was actually grown here at the ashram, then cooked to oblivion. Delicious.


How auspicious (I have heard this word more times here in India than ever before in my life), a full moon on the same night. View from the ashram roof.

Loknath moves among the candles lining the ashram steps.

Bella luna

WOW. Normally I wouldn't post twice in one day, but as I was wandering around my apartment tonight I looked out the window and the full moon was beckoning me to come take pictures of her. So Paris and I headed to the beach. I got to use my new tripod, which I'm totally psyched I bought. I have a long way to go with night photography, but here's my favorite shot from this attempt. By the time I figured out what I was doing with exposure time and whatnot, the moon had crept up into the clouds, but it's still a pretty cool effect nonetheless.

Also, randomly, I ran into a guy I knew in high school who was also out there taking pictures with his new DSLR. He just happened to be back in town from Colorado with his wife, visiting his parents. How funny. I can tell he is going to develop a healthy obsession with photography much like my own.