Childhood Memories of Diwali: Simplicity and Joy

My fellow blogger Aparna, has posted beautiful blog on Diwali Celebrations and importance of each day of Diwali celebrations. That post reminded me, about my childhood days celebrations. Read further to know, how we celebrated the Diwali during our childhood days.

Fifty years ago, around the mid-1970s, Diwali was a simpler, more community-focused celebration, grounded in tradition and homemade preparations. While the core religious rituals remain the same today, the experience of the festival was profoundly different in several key aspects.

A festival of homemade treats and deep cleaning

Diwali preparations began weeks in advance, with deep cleaning a ritualistic and thorough affair, often involving the whole family. We were five siblings, and each one was alotted with specific area to be cleaned.

Homemade delicacies: First indication of Diwali celebrations used to come from the peculiar smell of Chakali frying. It was a time of communal cooking, where mothers, grandmothers, and neighbours would spend days together preparing large quantities of sweets and savouries (pharal) like laddoos, gujiyas, and chakli. Unlike today, there were few alternatives to homemade snacks. We used to run away with hot chakalis and relish it in the hiding.

Simple gifts and gatherings: Gifts were not the expensive, store-bought items of today. Instead, people exchanged homemade sweets and savouries with friends, family, and neighbours, strengthening community bonds. It used to be the visit time to each relative and taste the unique selicasies from each one of them.

Earthen lamps and simple decorations: Homes were primarily decorated with rows of small, glowing earthen oil lamps called diyas, which created a magical, soft light throughout the neighbourhood. Unlike the elaborate LED lights of today, decorations were understated and traditional. It was our creativity test, while we were told to paint the earthen Diyas. It was fun and not the competetion.

The charm of handmade and handwritten

Many cherished traditions that have faded today were central to the Diwali experience of the 1970s.

Handmade lanterns and rangoli: Creating intricate rangoli patterns on the floor and crafting lanterns (akash kandil) from colourful kite paper was a cherished annual ritual. I still remember, me and my brother used to prepare the Akash Kandil right from Bamboo sticks and colourful Gelatin paper. It was huge excitement to see the handmade Akash kandil hanging in front of your house.

The greeting card tradition: Sending and receiving handwritten Diwali greeting cards through the post was a heartwarming and personal tradition that has since been replaced by impersonal digital messages.

New clothes: Buying and wearing new clothes for the festival was a major source of excitement for children, not driven by seasonal sales but by the significance of the occasion. My father used to buy new clothes for us twice in a year. Once at the time of school opening and during Diwali. We used to eagerly wait for these moments.

The role of community and firecrackers

The atmosphere of Diwali was more communal and less commercial than it is today.

A neighbourhood affair: Crackers and fireworks were a big part of the celebration, especially for we children. Entire neighbourhoods would burst crackers together, creating a spectacular and smoky finale. In our house, the budget for firevracker purchase was fixed at Rupees 100/- and we used to divide it in 5 equal shares. My eldest brother used to take all the powerfull crackers like Sutali Bomb etc. But since I was the youngest one, my sisters used to give their share to me. I used to spend whole afternoon enjoying the crackers bursting.

Different firecrackers: The firecrackers themselves were different, with favourites including snake tablets that produced black hissing “snakes” and the loudest of all, atom bombs.

Less concern about pollution: The environmental consequences of firecrackers were not a widespread concern at the time, and the smoky air and loud noises were simply part of the festive experience.

Slower pace and focus on family

Without the distractions of smartphones and widespread commercialism, Diwali was a much slower-paced affair.

Uninterrupted family time: A focus on family gatherings was paramount, with relatives visiting each other’s homes and spending quality time together. Today, many people use the holiday to take vacations.

Bonus time: The festival was also a time for annual financial decisions for many families, with the Diwali bonus being a significant part of the family budget.

Gone are those days, now we have to order the Diwali Faral and restrict on eating due to health risks.

It was nice travel down the memory lane. Hope you liked the our Childhood Diwali Celebrations. Share your comments.

Thank you my dear readers for stopping by

Stay Happy & Keep Smiling