Shubh Diwali! Happy Deepavali! May the light drive away the darkness and enlighten us all.
My earliest memories of Deepavali, or Diwali, are of waking up early in the morning on the day, of having my maternal grandmother give us a ceremonial oil bath, of dressing up in new clothes, of the lighting of brass lamps, of poojai (elaborate prayers), of my grandmother and mother making elaborate kolams (powder floor paintings), of the wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen, particularly of all the sweets that would be made for the celebration, of lighting sparklers in the dusk…
Deepavali celebrates the victory of good over evil, of wisdom over ignorance, of light over darkness. In Madras, in the south of India, where I was born, Deepavali celebrations are of a somewhat more reserved nature than in the north of India, where I grew up in New Delhi. The northern celebration of Diwali is an exuberant spectacle, with rows of lamps lighting up houses in our neighborhood, a great coming and going of friends and relatives, the exchanging of sweets and dry fruits, and the crowning highlight for the kids – an extravagant bursting of firecrackers into late in the night.
But what’s in a name? Deepavali, or Diwali – this wonderful festival of lights is witness to new beginnings, to welcoming prosperity, wisdom, and light into one’s home, and in the differences in the way the festival is celebrated, a testimonial to the diversity of India itself.
Shubh Diwali! Happy Deepavali! May the light drive away the darkness and enlighten us all. And in these uncertain times, we may not be able to come together in the ways that we are accustomed to, but the meaning of Deepavali remains as relevant as ever.
I wish you a safe and healthy celebration!
EN 
NL