Candles, Cleaning and Cakes: How I Reclaimed Diwali | Diwali
AKid, Diwali was five days of sensory overload: flickering lamps, friends and relatives you hadn’t seen since last Diwali, and mithai served repeatedly until the joy turned to sugar-induced despair.
Growing up in Wales in the 1990s, I rejected almost all of that. Being Asian seemed like a sign of difference, and when your teenage calling was right for you, celebrating being Indian wasn’t quite as appealing. So I half-heartedly joined the party, but I longed for the outlet of a sweaty metal party with my friends where identity wasn’t quite so weighed down.
Only now, as an adult, have I reclaimed Diwali. I still light candles, call my family, and clean the house, but I’ve also developed my own hybrid: a Diwali get-together with a Halloween brunch with friends (Indian food with horrible cake on the same table is a questionable sentiment, but somehow it works).
The overlap is not as strange as it seems: both festivals are obsessed with the triumph of light over darkness. Diwali augurs prosperity; Halloween, through its pagan predecessor Samhain, is a reminder that the harvest is over and winter is about to spoil everyone’s mood.
Beyond sweets
Traditionally, Diwali gifts include sweets – exquisite, jewel-toned boxes of laddoos, barfi and jalebi. But these days it has turned to personal matters; Things you’ll actually use, wear or remember. Putting together this Diwali gift guide for Filter was fun, because it meant highlighting South Asian brands that don’t get enough love.
Take Ranavat, a beauty line that fuses Ayurvedic rituals with modern formulations. The best-selling Royal Trio is a stylish take on this collection, and I’ve been using it since its launch. Then there are Apsley & Heron name necklaces, which means you can write your name in scripts from Hindi and Punjabi to my own language, Tamil. It’s a small thing, but quietly radical: finally seeing your name as it should be.
Increasingly, I’m seeing more and more brands offering Diwali-themed gifts, which is a nice idea, but it raises the question: when does the celebration turn commercial? The answer usually lies in intention. The best versions are to give back: donate to South Asian charities, highlight South Asian creatives, or at least produce something that feels rooted in the culture rather than a cynical money grab.
For me, Diwali will always be about positivity and connection. And if Mithai fatigue sets in, my Diwali edit has you covered.
This week’s picks
Editor’s Choice
From an elegant coat From a pair of shades suitable for the winter sun, pleated pants, and the perfect tights that won’t get too hot or too cold, our women’s fall fashion guide has you covered. Don’t venture outside without it.
Hannah Booth
Editor, filter
In case you missed it…
The clocks turn back next weekend, so it’s (almost) officially hunkering down season. This means candles, lamps, saws, bath oils and slippers. We’ve found the best of all these things and more in our collection of cozy buys for fall.
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