Beautiful blooms – Gerbera Daisies:

Distinguished by their large, beautiful blooms and wide assortment of vibrant colors, gerbera daisies have become a favorite flower choice for expressing cheerful sentiments. The traditional flower, gerbera daisy means beauty and innocence.

Distinguished by large flowering heads that closely resemble those of sunflowers, gerbera daisies come in a vibrant rainbow of colors. Bright pink, snow white, sunny yellow, and ruby red are just a few of the gorgeous colors that these happy flowers boast.

The gerbera daisy was discovered in 1884 near Barberton, South Africa, by Scotsman Robert Jameson. While the flower’s scientific name, Gerbera jamesonii, recollects the name of its founder, the meaning of its common name draws from German naturalist Traugott Gerber. Breeding programs that began in England in 1890 enhanced the flower’s quality and color variations. The gerbera daisy’s popularity soon traveled to growers in the Netherlands which, along with Columbia, is the primary distributor of the flower’s cut version today. The gerbera currently ranks as the fifth most popular flower in the world behind the rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip.

There are many types of flowers which can help to express our thoughts and feelings for our loved ones, but the gerbera daisy and its meaning stand out as one of the most distinctly bright and merry. With its bold and striking appearance, the gerbera daisy has become the most highly-prized daisy variety. When you send gerbera daisies, know that these fresh flowers convey a deeply meaningful message and make a lively lasting impression. Apart from all, the gerbera variety holds an added meaning of cheerfulness, which stems from the assortment of colors available.

Some Interesting Facts about Gerberas:

• Having a long vase life, Gerbera flowers are widely used in the Cut Flower Industry. Gerberas are great flowers for adding color to any room or garden.
• Gerberas are also referred to as Gerbera Daisies, daisy being a general name for all species in the family Asteraceae, to which Gerberas belong.
• Gerbera flowers often measure 7 inches (17.8 cm) across.
• Gerberas come in a wide range of colors - from light to dark yellow, orange, pink, brilliant scarlet, deep red, and many more colors.
• Gerberas can be used in landscapes as bedding plants for borders and flower beds or as Cut Flowers for table arrangements.
• Gerberas are native to Transvaal, South Africa.
• Hybrid Gerbera varieties cloned through tissue culture are uniform, and have long-lasting flowers with thick peduncles that are not light sensitive; hence, flowers remain open in the dark, lending themselves to indoor use in flower arrangements. 

As a Photographer I have an excellent collection of these beauties and I have posted a few of them here that were very popular among my friends in Flickr too. See the Beauty and innocence for your self.

Diwali – Festival of light:

The festival of light in India had just gone. Traditionally, Diwali was celebrated by lighting earthen lamps signifying the triumph of good over evil by dispelling darkness with light, exchanging sweets and wishes followed by Lakshmi Puja.

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated with fervor and gaiety. The festival is celebrated by young and old, rich and poor, throughout the country to dispel darkness and light up their lives. The festival symbolizes unity in diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way.

The festival of Diwali is truly a “Festival of Lights”, as it not only involves lighting of Lamps but, it brings the light of happiness, togetherness, spiritual enlightment and prosperity for everyone.

With the sounds of crackers killing all bad-omens, the lighted lamps-lighting the lives of people, the prayers and pujas creating an atmosphere full of goodness and purity, the festival of Diwali indeed fills the atmosphere with an aura of goodness and a heaven like atmosphere.

Indians celebrate with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship to Lakshmi. Some believe that Lakshmi wanders the Earth looking for homes where she will be welcomed. People open their doors and windows and light lamps to invite Lakshmi in.

A night of anticipation & excitement, to me, this year Diwali was more of real photographic experience than the previous years. Gone are those days, I don’t enjoy Diwali any more but I watch youngsters to whom Diwali means only crackers and nothing else. The enforcement of new rules to curb child labour, smoke & noise pollution awareness, the extreme stress and fear in animals and the ever rising cost of fire crackers means wasteful expenditure and lastly global issues compels Indians to go green during such festivals.

Here are some of my images of traditional light, firing of flowerpots & rockets captured on the night of Diwali from my house and neighborhood. Truly a photographers delight to snap such images of light & fireworks and I immensely enjoyed the festival the way I wanted.