Amidst tight security in the wake of Delhi serial blasts, the country on Tuesday celebrated Diwali as homes dazzled with multi-coloured lights and people attired in new clothes exchanged gifts celebrating the festival of lights. The country rejoiced in the double delight of Diwali in the North coinciding with Kali Puja in the East and Deepawali in South for the first time in many years.
The national capital, still coming to terms with the trauma of Saturday's bomb explosions in which 59 dead and over 200 injured, was radiant with twinkling bulbs, colourful candles and exquisitely earthen lamps, seeking to put behind the tragedy.
The spirits were further lifted with explosion of crackers and distribution of sweets.
For Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi [Images], it was a low key Diwali in view of the serial blasts and the devastation caused by the earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir [Images].
The celebrations were low key in Jammu and Kashmir as the survivors of the October 8 quake were still in the makeshift camps.
While it was traditional celebration in rest of Gujarat, seven persons, including six members of a family, were killed when an explosion took place while firecrackers were being illegally made at a house in a village in Dahod district.
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