South Asian Londoners get set for festival of lights
CBC
Today Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists in London, Ont., and others around the world are celebrating the festival of lights, also known as Diwali.
The five-day festival began on Nov. 2. The day of Diwali falls on the new moon, and signifies the start of a new year in the Hindu calendar. Celebrations continue into Nov. 6.
"In the pandemic, people were not able to go to their relative's homes due to the restrictions. This time, everything is under control and people are really crazy for it," said Smit Patel, who works at Bombay Spices grocery store in London.
"They're superiorly happy. I can see it in their faces. They're buying a lot of stuff and it's really good."
Patel said Bombay Spices sells essential Diwali items like colourful decorations, oil lamps called diyas, and sweets to exchange with loved ones.
Popular sweets include kaju katli (diamond-cut cashew cake), dry fruit rolls, soan papdi (ghee cakes), and halwa (toasted semolina).
"Diwali is celebrated because one of our gods, Lord Rama, returned after 14 years of exile to his home. People set off fireworks just to celebrate him," said Patel.
Patel said that for all the ample stock Bombay Spices has, he expects it to be sold out by the end of the week.
Across the street at the Nepali Bazaar grocery store, Dr. Nadia Mohammed Vashist stocked up on diyas for her family, and prepared to celebrate her first Diwali without her grandfather.
"Because our family is sort of separated right now, some of us are in Toronto, some of us are in Florida, it's sort of a little bit less of a celebration and more of a grounding time for us," she said.
This year's holiday has taken on a different meaning for Mohammed Vashist.
But she said it is an opportunity to create new memories with her young son and introduce him to his heritage.
"These are lights that you would light in the night," she said of shopping for the diyas, "for your ancestors to come find you. So that's why I'm here."
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