The harbinger of Diwali are the ads in the newspapers screaming Sale! People loosen the purse strings; each family and every member has a wish-list and all the postponed purchases are carried out.

So what’s happening at home? Residing in a melting pot like Bangalore we can’t stop from getting pulled in by the surrounding festive cheer. And so we indulge🛍.

Lights🔆 – nothing adds an instant cheer and festive feel like colourful lights. The balconies in our apartment building will be decked with lamps and fairy lights💡.

We shop for earthen lamps at a roadside vendor; they appear during this season at all street corners. In the evening, the kid gets busy pouring oil into the lamps, placing the cotton wicks and lighting them.

He stands guard for a while near his array of lights as the wind decides to play spoil sport and blow a few out. But soon the oil soaked cotton wicks brave the wind and the blaze into the night. We refill the oil and change the wicks for the next few nights. An easier alternative are the T candles.

It’s an extra long weekend for the schools in Bangalore; 4 days holidays. But the Diwali festivities are on for 5 days, starting from today.

Today, the first day of Diwali is called Dhanteras (Day of Fortune). It’s auspicious to buy gold during Diwali !? As per the belief, it’s good luck to buy (precious) metal – gold, silver, some opt for cars or kitchen appliances. My cousin and I head to Caratlane. She liked a few pieces on display at their website; soon enough, on request they were brought home for her to inspect and buy.  (They have that facility.) Not quite satisfied, she wanted to see more. So we found ourselves in the newly opened Caratlane showroom on 100 ft road at Indiranagar, Bangalore.

Pretty, pretty designs and light weight, its jewellery made for the millennial women. We browse to heart’s content, try on a few pieces and with great difficulty narrow down our choices.

The second day is called Naraka Chaturdasi (Day of knowledge) in north India; in the south this day is celebrated as Diwali – Festival of Lights. As per the Hindu tradition, this day marks the return of Ram to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile in the forest (the  mythology Ramayana).

The third day is Diwali (Day of light); the fourth day, the day after Diwali is Annakut (New Year), it’s akin to the other harvest festivals across India; the fifth day is Bhai Dooj – (bhai meaning brother in Hindi) celebrating the brother-sister bond.

Sweets 😘- Indian sweets, are a must during Diwali; having already gained a few kilos in the last months, I buy just one kind – Kala Jamun. Bigger than their cousins the Gulab Jamun; I adore this wickedly sweet treat😋. But any day, I would vote for dry fruits as a much healthier gifting option than sweets; will definitely be much more appreciated.

Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali💥

Till next post, take care !!