The festival of lights

This week was the Hindu festival of lights or Diwali as it is called in India, it is a week full of auspicious days including one to buy jewellery and welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity into the house. I am not very religious but a day devoted to buying jewellery in the name of worshiping Goddess Lakshmi is more than fine by me!

The boy and I celebrated the week by calling and wishing loved ones, lighting loads of candles, hanging fairy lights, eating yummy food, buying a fondue set and gorging on melted cheese and I had to take the opportunity to draw an alpona on the balcony. Here are a few pictures of the festivities our way including one of me wearing my festival jewellery acquisition, a yummier than yummy silver necklace.

I didn't want to bring up anything negative in this post but I cannot resist saying, that a few months ago the Freepeople stores/ dressing rooms were decorated with these traditional alpona designs and it seemed a bit weird to me. I am really over people kitsch-fying every aspect of my culture, these designs are used during traditional and religious ceremonies. Also most of the free people one clothing that cost an arm are made in India using traditional Indian craftsmanship and techniques and I really would like to know how much do the artisans creating the beautiful clothes benefit from free people's outrageous prices.

And don't even get me started on Winter Kate, Nicole Richie's line, gauzy cotton/ flowy silks, with traditional Indian motifs and designs that have been available for decades in India and everywhere else, priced indecently and given Indian names like Devi, Avanti, Lakshmi etc! Like seriously woman, stop pretending to be a designer because all you are is someone who has a fabulous sourcing and marketing team. Didn't mean for this to be a rant but I am just over companies and individuals using poor people's talent to make mega bucks.

Back to happier things its almost Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah are round the corner, here's wishing everyone a happy and prosperous build-up to which ever holiday you wish to celebrate.