Diwali celebrations just a click away

Diwali-oriented websites are offering a range of festivities online

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Be it information, fun or festivity, the .com era has made the most impossible of the things possible through the ever so proliferating cyber community. So much so that even Diwali can be celebrated by simply going online and logging on to websites that offer surprisingly innovative ways to enjoy festivals.There is a virtual online world where websites focus on providing viewers with a real festival experience by way of catering news, views, interaction forum and shopping opportunities. So, while one is engaged in enjoying real-life celebrations, he can do the same by going online. Websites like Indiaoz.com, indiagiftportal.com and welcometoindia.com are some of the popular Diwali-oriented sites offering a range of festivities online.For instance, one can go online for e-Ganesha, e-Lakshmi and a host of other Diwali pujas that give users a very realistic experience of the way in which they are done. Real-life rituals are made simpler online. Click on 'online aarti' and the computer screen shows a bell and an aarti room where users can click to drag the diyas and shower flowers on their deities. Bharat Patel, an NRG in New York believes that online aartis are a good option for those living in a foreign country. "Here, it is not possible to celebrate Diwali in the way it is done in India. We don't even get an off during 'Dhanteras and 'Sharda Pujan'; besides, it is difficult to get hold of a 'pandit' to perform the rituals during Diwali. It is here that, websites like these come handy in offering satisfaction of fulfilling the customs the Indian way. In fact, one can also avoid spending a lot on buying firecrackers by surfing through these websites. One can light 'phooljhadis' and see other spectacular fireworks with both sound and light effect. Needless to mention, e-cards are also becoming a popular way of exchanging Diwali greetings.Tech-savvy youngsters in Vadodara are finding online celebrations a great fun, especially when it comes to sharing Diwali greetings with friends and relatives living abroad. Ronak Soni, a computer engineering student said, "I used online websites for greeting as well as for bursting crackers. Though the level of excitement involved in bursting online crackers is nowhere close to the real ones, it is fun, especially for NRIs."A sparkling collection of online Diwali gifts are also a click away. Bhavesh Mehta, a customer care professional of online portal said, "Virtual celebrations have become a hit. Greeting cards, gifts and pujas on websites are attracting users, especially those who are not aware of actual rituals."Forum Chhaya contributed to this report