This time, I’m celebrating Deepavali in Dubai with my friends, fulfilling my longtime wish to celebrate an Indian festival abroad. In Dubai, we can’t crack fireworks, so seeing a sky full of fireworks for Deepavali was special. I wish for a happy and safe Deepavali for everyone.
Deepavali is a festival that is deeply rooted in my culture. We used to burst a lot of crackers, but we don’t do that anymore. We now light a few phuljhadis and lots of clay deepas filled with ghee, along with performing Devi Puja. One tradition I religiously follow every year is making rangoli, which I have been doing since I was 11 or 12 and participating in competitions. I spend two to three days working on it, and that responsibility falls entirely on me at home! We also perform Kalam Puja, which is a special puja for the pen we use. We are considered descendants of Lord Chitragupta, the accountant of Yamraj, and feel extremely fortunate about this. Another Deepavali tradition is preparing suran ki bhaji. There is a belief that if we don’t eat it on the night of Deepavali, we will be reborn as a mouse in our next life, so we make sure we have it! I also have a rather frightening cracker memory. Once, a bomb cracker burst right in front of me after I lit it, and I couldn’t hear properly for almost two days. It didn’t stop me from bursting crackers, though!
Deepavali is very special for my family because my mother’s birthday falls on Deepavali Amavasya, so it’s a double celebration for us. When I was growing up, we used to buy new clothes on three occasions: our birthday, Ugadi and Deepavali so going shopping for festival clothes and bursting crackers are my favourite memories of the festival. As we grew up, considering the pollution, we stopped bursting crackers and I would recommend the same. But this year, we’ve welcomed many new family members with several marriages in the family so we burst a few crackers on just one day of the festival, rather than every day. This year, my wish is that everyone eats well, takes care of themselves, and is blessed with good physical and mental health. Everything else can be achieved after.
Deepavali is one of my favourite festivals because it brings so much positivity. We usually celebrate Balipadyami in our village, where all our cousins come together. We apply warm oil, soak in the sun, enjoy a grand meal, play games and light deepas. It’s a beautiful tradition that we look forward to every year. The essence of Deepavali, for me, is positivity. I feel it’s a transformation from darkness to light. Every time I see the decorations, lights and deepas, it feels like a fresh beginning. This year, I wish for a lot of success, of course! I also hope to filter out the things that bring me down and keep walking towards the light, embracing everything and everyone that brings positivity into my life.
I hope we welcome more compassion, scientific temper, equality and light into our lives and drive away the darkness of hatred and intolerance. For me, Deepavali is about reconnecting with people, nature and the simple joys of life, without losing sight of those who are less fortunate. I would try to hold on to the tradition of sharing, spreading happiness and celebrating life rather than making it a celebration of consumption. I see the festival of light is not merely the triumph of good over evil anymore, It has evolved into a festival of knowledge, kindness, empathy & the courage to question injustice wherever it exists. I believe true Deepavali is when knowledge defeats ignorance, democracy defeats authoritarianism and humanity learns to coexist with nature.
Growing up in a small village with no theatres, Deepavali meant more than just festivities. I eagerly awaited the four-day holiday lineup when TV channels broadcasted movies starring our favourite actors. Gathering with the whole family to watch them is a memory that always brings a smile to my face. What makes the festivities complete is my mother’s cooking. As a big foodie, no diet ever stands a chance against her festive feast. For those few joyous days, calorie counts take a backseat!