India Sinks Into Diwali Mood, Unfazed By Inflation

NEW DELHI (NNN-Bernama) -- Millions of Indians brushed aside nagging inflation that spiked up prices of sweets, garments and foodstuff, and security risks to celebrate Diwali -- THE festival of lights -- in merriment Wednesday.

From north to south India, people flock to bazaars and spanking malls, shopped to usher the most revered annual festival, also enjoyed in neighbouring Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Even the stubborn nine-percent inflation and 10.6 percent food inflation failed to dampen festival spirit of over a billion Indians -- many enjoying their newly found wealth.

A salute to India's sparkling economy -- propelling at about eight percent it continues to create more middle-class population, already counting at 330 million.

"People are just going out and buying, retailers are reporting good business. We expect double-digit retail sales this season. Demand for retail goods is better than last year," Kumar Rajagopalan, chief executive officer of Retailers Association of India told Bernama.

People queue in bazaars to buy mouth-watering sweets -- sugar-socked "gulab jamun", "burfri" (milk candies), "gee ladoo" and "halwa", to celebrate -- a tradition in Indian homes.

Indians are in jubilant mood on Diwali, a day when good vanquished evil, according to Hindu mythology, but more joy suffused in the cricket ground than bazaars and temples.

India routed England 5-0 in a cricket series, the nation's favourite sporting event, and hosting its maiden Formula One motor race this weekend fuels more thrill in the streets.

But the early winter calmness was punctured on the eve, when grenade blasts and shooting in the scenic Kashmir, once a militant hotbed, injured three soldiers.

Statisticians are jittery over the global economy's health, but Indian bazaars are certainly telling a fire-cracker story -- its real Diwali business! -- NNN-BERNAMA