Have a blast, but be safe

At 6 am, as flower vendors set up their stalls, Venkata Subbaiah and his wife Malathi are seen shopping at J P Nagar 5th phase. For them, this year's Diwali will be really special as they can't wait to welcome their grandson. "My son and his wife have been in the US for the past five years. They were blessed with a baby boy last month. They have decided to come down to Bangalore to celebrate Diwali with us and we are really excited to meet the little one. My son has decided to donate some sweets and clothes to an orphanage nearby," said Venkata.

Several Bangalroeans are making plans to head to nearby places. For Aswathi Raja and her sister who lives in Bommanahalli, Diwali will be a silent affair this year. With their parents back in Muscat, the sisters have decided to go on a short trip to Coorg. "Rather than bursting crackers and sitting at home, we decided to go on a little vacation. This will give us ample time to catch up and indulge in some sister bonding," said the sisters amidst giggles. While Ramesh Baliga and his family are planning a massive family reunion in their cosy retreat in HSR Layout, their sons will host a party just for friends on Monday.

Sachit and Roohi have been waiting for Diwali since the beginning of November and have all the plans in place. "One of our friends is a DJ. So, we have asked him to get some of the hottest Bollywood tracks. We have invited almost 20 people home. After the puja and usual family dinner, we will all head to basement and get the party started," said the siblings.