Diwali celebration at my home

Hey everyone,

Diwali, for us, is more than just a festival – it's a celebration of lights, love, and prosperity that brings our family together. Every year, we gather at our home – my wife, my sister, my parents, and me – to illuminate our moments of togetherness and strengthen our familial bonds.

As you know, Diwali is a five-day festival that kicks off with Laxmipujan, the worship of Goddess Laxmi. I want to share a glimpse of how we celebrate it at our home.

My wife and I live in Mumbai, while my parents are in Islampur, a city in western Maharashtra, about 6-7 hours away. We usually arrive a few days early to Diwali, around 3-4 days before. There's a tradition in our family of making various kinds of sweets and snacks during this time.
Before the festival begins, we prepare sweets and snacks like carangi, Chakali, Shankarpali, besan ladu, rawa ladu, sajuri, khwaja. Sometimes, women from our neighborhood come over to lend a hand, and in return, we reciprocate the gesture.

Pic credit: Insta@thesassyasha

Over these five days, people from different families and communities come over to enjoy these treats and engage in lively conversations ranging from weather and health to politics. It's a time to reconnect since everyone is usually busy throughout the rest of the year.

On Diwali day, we wake up early, bathe with scented powder and oil, and light up our house with diyas (oil lamps). We also use flower petals to decorate the floors. While many people indulge in firing up crackers, we choose to restrain ourselves due to the increasing pollution levels around us.

As part of our celebration, we always have a photo session, a common practice nowadays. It brings me immense happiness and a sense of belonging, reinforcing the love and respect we have for each other. This is how we cherish and celebrate the Diwali festival.

Wishing you all a joyous Diwali filled with love and light!