We have quite a few Indian employees at our Manassas office, and yesterday we celebrated Diwali with them. Lots of delicious food, lots of people eating too much (I raise my hand; I’m not ashamed), and just a wonderful break from work in the middle of the week.

For those of you unfamiliar with Diwali, it is India’s biggest holiday, and it’s got a great premise – the triumph of light over darkness.

From National Geographic: “The festival traces its origins to several different texts, the most popular of which is the tale of the Hindu god Lord Rama. According to the ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana, Rama returned to his kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years in exile to defeat the demon king Ravana. Diwali is also linked to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. But all variations of the festival are linked by a common symbolism: the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.”

Here are some photos of our gathering, and before I forget, a big thank-you to the people here at the company that coordinated all the Diwali activities, and carried it off with seeming ease. You know who you are…..

Photos:

We had a great time!