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Diwali is a festival that is synonymous with home. For many Indians who have made their homes in other countries, Diwali is more than just a festival; it's a cultural touchstone that connects them to their roots and traditions. While they must have celebrated the festival traditionally with family rituals and authentic mithai, Slurrp interviewed a few of them to know the stories of how they recreated the festivities across borders.
Whether it's a small gathering of friends and family or a large-scale community event, the essence of Diwali remains the same: a celebration of light over darkness, good over evil, and hope over despair. Read on for the heartwarming stories of the Indians celebrating their traditions miles away from their homes.
Also Read: Diwali Special: North Indians Share Memories Of Making Sweets, Gifting, And Family Traditions
Puneet Tuli
37-year-old businessman, Norwood, ON
How do you typically celebrate Diwali back home in India?
In India, we celebrate Diwali with all our family members, close relatives, friends, and neighbours. The celebrations start 10 days in advance, including cleaning our homes, buying new clothes, and visiting friends to exchange wishes and sweets. On Diwali day, we try to visit the temple with our family during the day.
In the evening, we get ready by wearing new clothes and preparing for the Pooja, which includes a variety of sweets and dry fruits. After the Pooja, friends and neighbours usually come over, and we celebrate with a nice dinner. We typically don’t light crackers, so it’s mainly dinner with family and friends, along with a little dance party.
Do you follow the same rituals, or have you added some new ones?
In Canada, the celebration has changed quite a bit. We generally don’t start celebrating until the day before. We clean and shop on the same day due to our different schedules. Since we don’t have the day off for Diwali, we come home a little early to set up for the Pooja and to light diyas in the evening. Here, we celebrate Diwali with our close friends. During festivals or special occasions like birthdays or long weekends, we visit each other. We exchange gifts and sometimes light up sparklers with the kids to show them how it is celebrated in India.
What special foods or sweets do you make or buy, and are the ingredients easily available?
For sweets that taste close to authentic ones, we have to travel to Brampton, as it is the main area that offers a more authentic flavour. Other places may provide different tastes each time, possibly due to variations in ingredients, preferences, or chefs. So yes, we make the trip, but it’s worth it because it makes for a great family outing and a fun drive.
Have you created any fusion dishes or adaptations?
There’s no fusion of dishes, as we order food from Indian restaurants, so we typically enjoy different dishes from those places. However, this year, Diwali coincides with Halloween, so our celebration will involve doing the Pooja and then taking our son out for Halloween after he dresses up. During Halloween, kids go out with friends and family, visiting different houses in the neighbourhood for trick-or-treating. They collect lots of candies, and we adults get a chance to connect with our neighbours. So, there will be a blend of Diwali and Halloween this year, which must create a unique experience for the family, especially for my son! It’s great that we are able to introduce him to both traditions.
Khushi Chugh
23-year-old student, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
How do you typically celebrate Diwali back home in India?
Back in India, we celebrated Diwali with pomp and show. The evening begins with an exchange of gifts with relatives and friends, pooja of goddess Lakshmi, followed by burning firecrackers and having sweets.
What special foods or sweets do you make or buy, and are the ingredients easily available?
There are many, but a few that are springing to my mind are Kheer and Jalebi. I plan to have the same this year as well on Diwali, as the ingredients needed are easily available here.
Have you created any fusion dishes or adaptations?
No, I like to keep the Diwali as I have always celebrated it back home. So, I haven't created any fusion dishes or adaptations, but I have been following the same traditional ways and dishes.
Bhavika Sandhu
29-year old nurse, New Zealand
How do you typically celebrate Diwali back home in India?
Back in India, Diwali was more than just a festival; it was a cherished social occasion that brought family, friends, and neighbours together. We would begin preparations at least two weeks in advance, shopping for new clothes and sometimes even jewellery and thoroughly cleaning the house. On Diwali, we performed a family puja, followed by gatherings with friends, and in the evening, we enjoyed lighting fireworks with neighbours on the street.
Do you follow the same rituals, or have you added some new ones?
Celebrating Diwali away from India is quite different since we don’t get the same extended holidays here. Moreover, the essence of Diwali—spending time with family—feels a bit lost. However, we do manage to celebrate by visiting the temple to perform a puja and distributing mithai.
What are your go-to Diwali recipes that you recreate while living away from home?
We make or buy traditional mithai like motichoor laddus and gulab jamuns. It's a smaller-scale celebration, and nothing new or especially creative has been added.
