Diwali: A Festival of Light and Hope by Meghna Choudhary

• 24 Oct, '22
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A celebration that symbolises the win of good over evil and light over darkness. On the occasion of Lord Ram returning to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita upon defeating the evil Ravan marks the celebration. This is the brief of the history and for me Diwali means Festival of Lights which reminds me of the beautifully lit diyas (candles), the aroma of sweet and savoury, family gathering, and the feeling of oneness summarises the entire festival. This time of the year leaves me with a nostalgic cloud filled with my childhood memories and now as an adult instils pride in me to honour my tradition and not forget my roots. Diwali is a five-day event, and we Indians believe that this festival gives us a chance to start a new chapter in our lives. I’ll take you all on a stroll down my memory lane to the time when festivities kicked off in full swing back home. The preparations for Diwali used to start a week before, and friends and family joined together in making delectable sweets and indulged in guilt-free sugar binges during this season. We decorated our houses with flowers, vibrant floor designs (Rangoli), fairy lights and rows of candles on the front portico of our house. In every Indian festival, Puja rituals is the vital part of the tradition, and they are carried out in the form of prayers and Aarti to bless everyone with health, wisdom, happiness, peace and progress in their lives. When the evening sets in, neighbours visit one another and exchange gifts and sweets and the highlight and the most awaited part of the evening during my childhood was lighting crackers that consisted of a variety of packs including sparklers, flowerpots, rockets and sky shots. However, my recent years of Diwali in India involved sky lanterns, which are a safer and eco-friendly alternative to firecrackers. I celebrated my first Diwali in the UK three years ago in my university with fellow Indian friends from the Hindu society. It was a fun-filled entertaining event with an evening of Bollywood music, dance, games and loads of Indian food! I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and it allowed me to socialise with new people who were not Indians but had immense respect towards our culture and wanted to be a part of the celebration. This year, I am extremely eager and looking forward to the Diwali event at the Iconinc The Ascent. Before I lived here, I remember watching their stories on Instagram and was impressed by their thoughtfulness of planning these diverse events for students from different cultures and ethnic origins to take part, which drives away their homesickness and gives them a chance to indulge themselves in the festivities planned by the team. This kind of attention to detail sets my accommodation apart from the rest. Let me share an insight into this year Diwali event at The Ascent. The place would be decked with garlands to create a celebratory atmosphere for the residents to relish traditional Indian sweets and dance the night out on their favourite Bollywood numbers. Not to forget the sparklers which is something I have not tried in the UK, and I am excited about it! So, what are you waiting for, register for the event on the Iconinc app and get dolled up in traditional Indian attire and head down to the lounge on the ground floor and be a part of this fabulous occasion and I promise it will be worth your time.