I came across the Times of India Diwali greeting this year, over at Soumyadip’s blog .

I always loved the illustrations on these boxes, they are fairly similar to hindi movie posters, which I’ll add examples of at some point to the site. I’m sure some of these artists do both. But in a sexually repressed society, the population notwithstanding, there’s just something very sexual about all these lovely gals with their firecrackers, ahem.

Here’s the text on the image:
There is art.
There is Noise.

But only we have perfected the art of noise.

Some of the most original works of art can be found on cracker boxes. There is as much bang outside the box as there is within. From pictures of gods and celebrities to politicians and animals, they all find their pride of place on a cracker box. Whether it is Diwali, Dussehra, or winning a One-Day International, we celebrate all with the most beautiful sounds.

The Times of India
Celebration Times. Forever.

But being familiar with all these images of lovely gals, what really caught my eye in this collage was the Roman Legionnaire!

I wonder where he arrives from, probably ‘sourced’ from an Amar Chitra Katha comic by the firecracker guy.