Diwali, commonly known as Festival of Lights, is one of the popular festivals celebrated in India. The houses are decorated with rangoli, lights, delicious foods, and merry meet-ups. For the Indians living in Australia, where their festive season coincides with the spring season, it is a good time for celebrating this festival out in the open with the company of friends and introduction of neighbours to the Indian culture.
Sometimes, it is not necessary that one must invest a lot in diwali decorations to get the maximum effect. Just a bunch of marigolds, a few lanterns, vibrant cushions and diwali diya could work wonders. The decor will always look good whether it is a small flat in Melbourne or a large house in Sydney.
It might be hard to explain the way the house differs from other houses in terms of the holiday ambiance created there. The reason for it lies in the decorations made in terms of lighting and the smell of fresh delicacies cooked there. Flowers arranged on the balcony of the house or its garden, and the fact that all the family gathers, makes the evening completely unforgettable. It relates to the Indians residing in Australia, who need to make their lives more homely through celebrating traditions and creating new ones.
The matter is not only in decorating the house with flowers and clay lamps. It is all about the feeling of warmth, unity and welcoming of the light into the house.
Home Decoration Ideas for Diwali that Make it Special and Personal
In terms of diwali home decoration, I believe that it is always the smaller things that make the difference. Begin by designing a colorful rangoli, flower arrangements, or lanterns right at your entrance. Always light diyas on stable surfaces that will not catch fire easily, do not leave an open flame alone and do not use lit diyas near decorations or curtains. Instead, you may go for battery operated candles. One more thing to remember is that you do not have to fill your house with elaborate decorations in order to decorate it nicely.
Karthigai Deepam – The Glory of a Thousand Lamps
Karthigai Deepam, which falls in the Tamil month of Karthigai, symbolizes the divine lamp of Lord Shiva and victory of light over darkness. The traditional celebration of Kartigai Deepam is by lighting houses with strings of oil lamps.
The festival is particularly important for Tamil communities residing in Australia as it enables them to continue their traditions even away from home. Setting up some oil lamps in the form of a row in a balcony, courtyard or prayer room can make a great celebration. All what is necessary is a clean and peaceful place having a few lamps. What counts is the devotion, not the decorative aspect of the celebration.
Keep the pooja place clean, arrange the praying accessories neatly and the decorations will be modest too, just a little garland or flowers in the basket would suffice. This spot becomes more important in the houses which have families with their children. This corner can turn into the place for sharing experiences of grandparents.
Let The Light Reunite Everyone
The essence of Diwali and Karthigai Deepam lies in an emotion that surpasses any kind of décor or furniture. The joy of meeting up with our dear ones, the experience of eating and the feeling of remembering our roots, and making space for future generations.
Whichever one you prefer Indian home decor or handcrafted furniture or a mandir, or even a few diyas with all of these you can give your home the look of the festival in your own way. A home is made best with laughter, stories and people that make you feel at home.
