Tag: indian festival

Make the most of Diwali at home

Diwali is a great time to spend some quality time with friends & family. Here is how you can make the most of Diwali with your family at home.

Diwali celebrations

Diwali, the most-awaited and biggest festival in India is just around the corner. The 5 days festival that is also known as the festival of lights is celebrated to honour the victory of good over evil. It is believed that on this day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya with his wife after killing the demon Ravana. On Diwali, people dress up their finest clothes, light diyas, make rangoli and worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.  Checkout more festive blogs here.

The 5 days of Diwali

  • Dhanteras marks the beginning of the 5 days Diwali festival. People worship Lord Kubera and Goddess Lakshmi, the god and goddess of wealth on this day. Dhanteras is considered an auspicious day to buy jewellery and clothes.
  • The second day of Diwali is celebrated as Choti Diwali. It is believed that on this day Goddess Kali and Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasura. 
  • Diwali is the main festival of the 5 days celebrations and it symbolises the victory of light over darkness. On this day people decorate their homes, exchange gifts & sweets and perform Lakshmi puja. 
  • Govardhan Puja is celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali. On this day, a Lord Krishna’s idol is made out of cow dung and then it is worshipped and some women also fast on this day. 
  • The last festival of the 5 days celebration is Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters perform aarti for their brothers and wish for their long and happy life.

How to make the most of Diwali at home

Diwali is a great time to get together and spend some quality time with friends & family, but this time because of the pandemic the celebrations are going to be a bit different. Here is how you can make the most of the festivities with your family at home.

1.   Dress up for pictures

diwali 2020

Celebrating Diwali at home doesn’t mean that you can’t dress up. Put on your finest, traditional clothes and pose for some nice pictures and share them on your family Whatsapp groups. This will make this quarantine celebration a memorable one.

2.   Prepare a grand Diwali thali

diwali food

Diwali without food is incomplete and now that you are celebrating it at home, you can invest even more time in the meal preparation. Cook your family’s favourite food and treat them with a grand thali. Checkout the thali I prepared here.

3.   Celebrate on Video call

diwali with family

Not being able to meet your friends and family on Diwali can be tough, and in times like these, a video call is the best way to connect. Decide a time and bring your family & friends together for a video party.

4.   Send Gift cards

diwali gifts

You can’t meet your loved ones to exchange gifts, but you can surprise them with a gift card. If you want to give them something thoughtful sitting at home, then gift cards are the best way to do that and believe me it will make them happy.

5.   Indulge in Online Shopping

diwali shopping

Diwali is the time for some amazing online offers and discounts, so why not make the most of them by shopping online. You can even surprise your friends & relatives by sending them online gifts.

Tips to celebrate an Eco-friendly Diwali

Celebrating at home doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate an eco-friendly Diwali. Here are some tips to make your at-home celebrations eco-friendly.

  1. Decorate the house with eco-friendly products or do the DIY decorations.
  2. Use earthen oil diyas instead of LED lights and lamps.
  3. Wish your loved ones by gifting them organic products or green plants.
  4. Use natural colours for rangoli or flowers instead of chemically synthesized colours.
  5. Instead of bursting crackers play some fun family games.

Here are some things that you can do to make the most of Diwali celebrations at home with your family.

This year things won’t be like before, but we can still celebrate it and make it memorable by doing some simple things. Hope you have a happy and safe Diwali.

Skin Care Tips for Holi

A touch of green, a hint of blue and a tinge of red smeared on the happy faces of your friends is the perfect ingredient for a colourful holi. Holi is all about colours, friends, sweets, bhang, dancing, water balloons and more. It’s a festival that as awaited as Diwali and celebrate all over the world! The colours, music, and the rain dance may bring much joy and merriment.

But don’t you skin or hair suffer the damage from the colour spoils your mood this year. Holi colours were traditionally made using natural ingredients and plant extracts. But these days you a lot of people use metallic colours and other pakka colours which explain the colourful faces at work or anywhere a week after holi. Before you get ready to surprise attack your friends with colours, protect yourself with these easy tips which will keep your skin and hair safe this holi.

Organic Colours: Play it safe and have fun at the same time with organic powders which don’t damage your skin or hair. Keep a few extra pouches with you to offer others. People get done with their colours pretty fast.

If you have any cuts or bruises, cover them up well with a band-aid or adequate dressing to avoid an infection later.

Clothes: You are traditionally supposed to wear white during holi. But with the harmful chemical and harsh sun try wearing dark clothes, in cotton or synthetic material. Don’t wear jeans. They will get too heavy once you are drenched in water. Also, try wearing long sleeve t-shirts or kurta. The idea is to cover yourself up as much as possible to avoid exposure to chemicals.

Nail Colour: Don’t want your nails looking like you’ve never gotten them cleaned or heard of a manicure. Protect your nails by applying clear polish or any dark coloured nail paint. Rub off any excess colour by rubbing a slice of lime on your nails.

Oil: This is something I have been doing for as long as I can remember. Even as a child my mother would oil my hair and skin with coconut oil, olive oil or castor oil. It keeps your hair and skin protected from the harsh chemicals in the colours and makes sure it doesn’t leave you looking like a red ape the next day. Apply the oil at least 15- 20 minutes before going to play. Braid up your hair to avoid a mess.

Avoid getting any treatments done on your skin 3-4 days before and after playing holi. Avoid going for waxing, threading or bleaching as well. Your skin would be sensitive when you get the treatments done, and the colours may cause irritation. If your skin does get itchy, then apply some aloe vera gel on the area.

Wash off the colour, immediately after you are done playing. Your skin may feel extremely dry after playing holi. Avoid exfoliating your skin and use gentle glycerin based soaps. Apply a generous amount of body lotion or baby oil to hydrate your skin. You can even use oil to remove colour from your skin i.e. just like a makeup remover.

Now that you have all your bases covered with all the do’s and don’ts. Get all geared up to play a safe and fun filled holi.