Diwali traditions followed at my households I Essay By Aashirya ,10, Gurugram

Diwali traditions followed at my households

Finally, the schools are over and festivals have started. Colourful lights and distinctive rangolis can be seen in every house. Diwali is the festival that I wait for eagerly as I spend quality time with my grandparents and cousins. Every family has their own traditions but my family is packed with them. I have a difficult time remembering them but there are a few which are close to my heart.

For us Diwali starts on the day of Dhanteras. There is a tradition to make a small Diya out of wheat flour to worship lord Yama. But my grandmother and I have a tradition of our own to prepare the Diya every year where I try to show my clay modelling skills but am never able to make a perfect Diya like grandma’s.

Roop Chaudas is the following day when we apply ubtan and take a bath. My grandma says after the deep cleaning of the house we clean ourselves on this auspicious day to bring good fortune.

The main Diwali day is the most chaotic day as everyone is busy preparing for the pujas. My mother and grandmother prepare many dishes of which Moong dal halwa is the main dish without which the puja is considered incomplete. In the evening my cousins and I help grandma decorate the puja room. I love this especially because I get to adorn the idols of the gods and goddesses. The laughter and banter stay with me for the next whole year. We end the day by offering prayers and seeking blessings of our elders.

The festivals end with my favourite, the Bhai dooj. Sisters put tilak on brothers forehead and prepare feast for them. I enjoy it because our paternal aunts shower us with us with gifts and prepare yummy food. My brother likes smaller tilaks but I have made a ritual to put a tilak right from the tip of his nose till his hairline. This irritates him and the look on his face makes my Diwali memorable every single year.

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