Diwali Diaries: Office Festivities, Friendship, and Family Traditions

Hello friends, how are you all? I hope you are all well. As you may all know, various festivals are celebrated across India, and one of them is Diwali, which was recently celebrated throughout the country. So, let me share some glimpses from my Diwali diary celebration.

In our place, each festival has its own significance, but Diwali, celebrated by the entire Hindu community across India, adds a special charm to the festivities.

^{My Cute Niece Aishani and Small cutest girl Bhargawi}

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Before this festival, we all clean our homes thoroughly so that every corner is spotless, and when guests visit, they can appreciate the beauty of our homes.

This time, I didn’t go home for Diwali because of some work at the office. If everyone goes home during festivals, then who will take care of the work? So, taking responsibility, I decided not to go home for the festival but to attend some weddings at home a few days later to balance both work and family.

^{Rangoli made by my office colleague}

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So, this time I celebrated Diwali in Ahmedabad. My friend Ajay and I were both here, so we first celebrated Diwali at the office, received gifts from the office, and brought sweets home.

The next day, our office had a four-day break for Diwali. So, we bought lights to decorate our place and did some shopping. Then, suddenly, my office colleague called and invited Ajay and me to her home. Initially, we hesitated, which is natural, but deep down, we wanted to go. Navya insisted a few times, so we agreed. Then, on Diwali morning, I woke up early, extended Diwali wishes to everyone at home, took blessings from my elders, and wished the younger ones.

^{Our Diwali 🪔 Gift from our Organisation}

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After finishing my daily routine in the morning, I quickly went to the salon to get my hair and beard set.

After returning home from the salon, Ajay and I had breakfast, enjoying some puri and sabji. Ajay went to take a nap, while I quickly started my bike and went to a shop to buy a face scrub and face mask since I wanted to look a bit sharp for our visit to a friend’s house in the evening. After returning home, I applied the scrub and mask to my face and started watching a movie. Before I knew it, it was already 6 in the evening.

We had already planned to bring a gift to Navya’s house, so we bought some toys for the little kids at her place and some sweets for the family. Then we headed straight to Navya’s house. Since it was my first time going there, I didn’t know the exact address.

I asked Ajay, and he said he had been there once. However, we ended up at the wrong apartment building nearby, so we called Navya, got the correct address, and finally reached her place.

Navya came down to receive us with her sisters at the lift. We wished her a very happy Diwali, and then we went inside, where we met her parents, uncle, aunt, and two cute kids. We greeted everyone respectfully, and they welcomed us warmly, making us feel truly at home.

^{Now it’s Arti time}

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After sitting for a while, we were offered sweets and water, which is a tradition where we come from—to welcome guests with sweets and water. We enjoyed the refreshment and chatted for a bit.

Soon, Navya’s uncle announced it was time to start the puja. So we gathered near the temple area, performed the puja for Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi, and sang the aarti. Afterward, everyone took prasad and enjoyed some sweets. Then we all went outside to light firecrackers and had fun for around 30 minutes. After that, we returned inside for dinner.

^{Diyas at my house in Ahmedabad}

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The dinner was incredibly delicious, bringing back memories of home-cooked food. We also took some photos together, and as time flew by, it was already 11:40 p.m. We then took leave from Navya and her family.

So yes, this year’s Diwali celebration was absolutely wonderful, and I pray to God that all of you had a Diwali filled with happiness as well. So, until we meet in the next entry, my regards to all of you.