Your Diwali Stories

How do you celebrate Diwali?

As part of the Hindu Gujarati community, Diwali holds a very special place in my heart. A week before the festivities begin, we clean and decorate our home with intricate rangoli patterns, fresh flowers, and lights. We light diyas, wear new clothes, visit the temple to pray, and donate food and clothing to those in need. After performing Lakshmi puja for good health, happiness, and prosperity, we prepare delicious sweets, exchange gifts, and visit family and friends. One of my favourite parts is watching the night sky fill with colour from fireworks and sparklers; there’s a wonderful sense of community as everyone comes together in celebration.

What are your favourite memories or traditions?

My favourite memories centre on crafting colourful rangoli with my family, placing diyas around the house, and helping make traditional Gujarati snacks and mithai. I cherish visiting relatives, receiving blessings from our elders, and exchanging warm wishes. An equally cherished tradition is celebrating the Gujarati New Year right after Diwali, where we visit loved ones to wish them "Nutan Varshabhinandan!" These moments bring our family closer and keep our heritage alive for the next generation.

What dish do you love to eat during Diwali?

I adore traditional Gujarati sweets and savouries during Diwali - especially mohanthal, ghughra, ladoo, chakli, and chevdo. Homemade treats always bring back fond childhood memories of family celebrations. With tables filled with delicious food shared among visiting friends and family, I always want to try a bit of everything. For me, Diwali isn't complete without great food, family time, and fireworks.

How do you celebrate Diwali?

Diwali is traditionally celebrated by illuminating our homes and streets with glowing oil lamps, enjoying firecrackers, preparing festive feasts, and worshipping Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi. Goddess Lakshmi represents wealth and prosperity, and we believe her blessings usher good fortune and success into our homes.

What are your favourite memories or traditions?

My favourite Diwali memories are all about anticipation and togetherness. During the day, we clean and decorate the house, arrange diyas, and dress in traditional attire. As evening falls, the house glows under the warm light of oil lamps and colourful fairy lights. Our family gathers to offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha before the children head out to enjoy sparklers and firecrackers. Best of all, we wrap up the night sharing a wonderful feast prepared with love by our elders.

What dish do you love to eat during Diwali?

There is nothing quite like homemade rice kheer—a creamy, fragrant sweet rice porridge. I also love laddus, sweet treats made from gram flour, sugar, dry fruits, and aromatic spices.

How do you celebrate Diwali?

For me, Diwali is a little slice of India brought to life right here in Leicester. Having lived in the UK for over 18 years, the celebration has become a seamless blend of my Indian roots and British life. From the dazzling illuminations along the Golden Mile to the vibrant buzz on Belgrave Road, the festive spirit is right on our doorstep. We honour all five days of the festival—welcoming prosperity on Dhanteras, celebrating light over darkness on Narak Chaturdashi, offering Lakshmi Puja on Diwali, sharing gratitude on the New Year/Govardhan Puja, and celebrating sibling bonds on Bhai Dooj. A fun family tradition of ours is placing our work laptops—including our NEXT laptops—beside our valuables during Lakshmi Puja to bless the tools that support our livelihood!

What are your favourite memories or traditions?

Our favourite traditions revolve around togetherness, gratitude, and giving back. We gather in each other’s kitchens to bake homemade sweets, exchange recipes, dress up in vibrant outfits, and visit the temple before hosting our home puja. We make a point of visiting elders to touch their feet in love and respect, and we pack Diwali hampers and declutter items to donate to local charities and families in need. For our family, bringing light into someone else's life is just as vital as lighting up our own home.

What dish do you love to eat during Diwali?

My go-to festive favourites are Naankhatai, Fursi Puri, and Ghooghra. Naankhatai are crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread biscuits delicately spiced with cardamom and nutmeg. Fursi Puri are crisp, flaky spiced puris that pair perfectly with a hot cup of masala chai during family visits. And Ghooghra are golden-fried pastries filled with a sweet, luxurious stuffing of mawa, shredded coconut, and dry fruits. Celebrations simply wouldn’t be complete without them!

How do you celebrate Diwali?

In Tamil Nadu, our celebrations begin before dawn with a traditional oil bath. Families wake up early to massage warm sesame oil into hair and skin before taking a ritual bath, immediately followed by dressing in brand-new traditional clothes.

What are your favourite memories or traditions?

I vividly remember stepping out into the dark before sunrise, dressed in my new clothes, and rushing outside to join the neighbourhood children. Together, we lit sparklers and busvans, lighting up the entire street in glowing streams of gold, green, and red sparks. In all the excitement, I once accidentally singed my new clothes, but my dad just smiled warmly and said, "Don't worry, it's fine. We can get you a new one." That feeling of carefree childhood joy has stayed with me ever since.

What dish do you love to eat during Diwali?

My absolute favourite festive dish is freshly made Adhirasam. There’s nothing like enjoying one warm, with crisp caramelised edges and a soft centre. My grandmother would always begin preparing the dough a day in advance, and the heavenly scent of ghee frying in the kitchen is the true sign that Diwali has arrived. Thinking about it still brings back a wonderful sense of nostalgia