Diwali is not just about celebration and decoration. For some, the festival is an opportunity to add cheer to the lives of the lesser-privileged
Shovana Narayan
(Danseuse)
I would light up my life by seeing people illuminate themselves. I want everyone around to light up their lives with sensitivity, compassion and ethics. I would love to see people spread the message of love and togetherness.
Ranjana Kumari
(Social activist)
For me, Diwali means coming together. It’s a time when all my workers not only work together in decorating the office but also make a beautiful rangoli and light a lot of diyas.
It is a festival of lights and I want everybody to come out of the darkness and light up their lives in any way that they can. I spend time with my family and together we deck up our home in the traditional way with diyas and pan patta and also remember the Gods we believe in.
Madhu Jain
(Designer)
I send one of my workers to the Hanuman temple on Diwali with enough money to feed 100 poor people. That is how I light up my life. Diwali is my time to catch up with family. I look forward to this holiday because I visit my brothers and spend quality time with my family. I believe in a cracker free Diwali so my idea of celebrating the festival of lights is by lighting diyas. That apart, I also distribute blankets to all my workers.
Karan patel
(Actor)
As a tradition, the entire family comes home from all parts of the country to celebrate Diwali. Being a Gujarati, the laxmi pujan also forms an important part of the celebration. Who can forget the sweets, crackers, lights and card games in the eveningsIJ
Imran Zahid
(Actor)
As my film deals with issues that the Tibetan communities in India face, I will be visiting Majnu Ka Tila (the Tibetan colony in Delhi) on Diwali. The film is a love story of an Indian boy and a Tibetan girl. It will bring up a lot of issues and I want to understand what their problems are and what difficulties they face. This Diwali I will be celebrating my first wedding anniversary, so I will be spending it with my wife.
Aamir Raza Husain
(Theatre actor)
My family and I celebrate Diwali with great gusto. My in laws have a beautiful cottage in Nainital and we are celebrating the festival there. I have never ever celebrated the festival with crackers because I feel that the festival should be celebrated the way it is meant to be celebrated — with lights. Diwali for me means indulgence. Another thing that we abstain from during Diwali is sweets, neither do we eat them, nor do we give sweets to other people because 80 per cent of sweets are made of khoya and during festive seasons, khoya is adulterated. The one thing that lights up my life is the light that comes from diyas.
Samina Peerzada
(Actor)
I wish everyone in India a very prosperous Diwali. May this Diwali be an occasion where everyone gets together to celebrate the joy of lights. I have heard how beautifully every corner of each place is lit. I also have heard a lot about the card parties.