Diwali At Home

Ever since I was a little girl Diwali meaning the “Festival of Lights” is one of my favorite Indian holidays to celebrate. Here’s a short version about Diwali and why we acknowledge this holiday. This day is marked to honor Lord Rama’s (also Mother Sita’s) return to the kingdom called Ayodhya. After being in 14 years of exile and he defeated Ravana (demon king). People in the village welcomed them by lighting diyas (little clay pots) across Ayodhya. The villagers prepared a feast and they shared sweets with every household. Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

At my home usually one week before Diwali my family would start fasting and clean up the house. While doing this it helps to purify your mind and your own self. We also believe on the day of Diwali Mother Lakshmi (Goddess of Light and Prosperity) comes for a visit to bless the homes. This is also the time to plan our Diwali menu and start gathering ingredients. I didn’t get the chance to make all the Indian sweets, but I did make Gulab Jamun (Indian mini doughnuts soaked in sugar syrup). Also one of the easiest trini appetizers to fry is Baiganee (trini-style eggplant fritters).

In my next post (Diwali Pt 2) I will have the steps of how I made the Gulab Jamun (including a little video). The Baiganee recipe would be in another post as well (Diwali Pt 3). I will be keeping you guys posted! Those who celebrated Diwali I wish you all the best in this upcoming year.