AT NORTH-WESTERN UNIVERSITY IN ILLINOIS, MORE THAN 100 HINDU STUDENTS SAT WITH THEIR HEADS BOWED OVER CANDLE FLAMES, ECHOING THE SANSKRIT CHANTS OF THE PRIEST INVITING LAKSHMI, THE GODDESS OF WEALTH, TO BESTOW PROSPERITY UPON THE UPCOMING YEAR OF THE HINDU CALENDAR.
HINDUS FROM AROUND THE CAMPUS — AND A FEW CURIOUS NON-HINDUS — CROWDED PARKES HALL TO CELEBRATE DIVALI.
THE OM HINDU CULTURAL COUNCIL SPONSORED THE EVENT, WHICH ALSO MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE HINDU NEW YEAR.

PEOPLE ARE BURSTING CRACKERS WITHOUT NOISE POLLUTION OR OFFER PUJA TO THE GODDESS OF WEALTH, LAKSHMI, IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD ON PCS OR GPRS ENABLED MOBILE PHONES THIS DIVALI.

THE WEBSITE WEBDUNIA IS OFFERING A FREE SERVICE OF ANIMATED IMAGES FOR THE CELEBRATION.
WEBDUNIA SOURCES SAID THE E-FIREWORKS CAN CONTINUE FOR AN UNLIMITED PERIOD. AN EXCITING RANGE OF FIREWORKS IS FOUND ALONG A UNDER VIRTUAL POOJA

COMPUTER USERS CAN BURST E-CRACKERS AND OFFER PUJA TO LAKSHMI BY LOGGING ON TO THE LINK.