Chennai, Nov 2 (IANS): People in Tamil Nadu Saturday woke up to the sounds of crackers on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights.

Children burst fire crackers and adults performed puja at home. People exchanged special Diwali Leghium-herbal jam, sweets and savouries with neighbours and relatives.

They called up their friends and relatives in India and abroad to wish them and ask, "Ganga Sthanam Aachha?"- is bathing with the water of holy Ganges over?

Just before the special sesame oil bath, the elder women in the family applied the `nalangu' paste-a mixture of turmeric powder and wet lime- on the feet of family members singing "Lakshmi Kalyanam Vaibhogame..."

After the oil bath, people put on new clothes and savoured some Diwali Leghium and other snacks. They then visited temples, relatives and friends.

"As usual on Diwali day, we got up early and started bursting crackers along with the kids. It is good to see people in a good mood and also lots of used cracker papers on the road," J.Muralidharan, a public sector employee, said.