For me, Diwali (also known as the festival of lights) was the time when all my friends were home for the holidays and I got to reconnect with my people. Last year’s festival in the city of Lucknow in northern India was one of my favourites. My friends and I wore full traditional outfits, equipped with sarees and Bollywood-esque glamour, to celebrate our first Diwali since the lifting of pandemic restrictions. I lit lamps and candles and decorated my apartment with star-shaped lights. We filled our fridge with sweets and nuts (as most Indian households do during Diwali) and the food put me in a spice-induced daze. I had milk sweets, pani puris, samosas and paneer masala with naan. I wore a red saree and my grandmother’s necklaces, accessorised with silver and black opal rings. There was laughter, dancing and Bollywood music. Just thinking about it makes me miss home.
