By The Community report
Published on October 6, 2014

A splatter of twinkling fairy lights, glittering diyas or oil lamps, a luscious smell of sugary sweets, ornamental rangolis … yes, you got it right… it’s the festival of lights that’s sure to illuminate and give Dubai a golden hue!

Diwali, the largest festival among Hindus, is an occasion to celebrate the triumph of goodness over evil, thereby bringing in light to the world and eradicating darkness.

According to mythology, it’s the story of Lord Rama’s return to his kingdom Ayodhya, in India, from his 14-year exile, and defeating demon Ravana. His victory was celebrated by the people of Ayodhya by lighting diyas and bursting firecrackers.

Diwali décor is a major attraction amongst all members of the family. Young and old, parents and children, get super active to decorate their homes with lamps, sparkling lights, brightly coloured designer rangolis (colourful powder). The Community gets into the festive mood to put together some of the best Diwali décor ideas…

Diyas or oil lamps

It’s believed that Goddess Lakshmi (symbolising wealth) visits every home during Diwali to bless families with wealth and prosperity. Diyas are lit to welcome and illuminate her way to every room.

Although store bought earthenware candle holders are most common, you can even make your own using clay. Mould the clay into small bowl-like shapes and then paint them once they’re dry using poster or acrylic paints. You can even decorate them with sequins, rhinestones, beads and glitter. Add to them a few tea-light candles and you have the perfect illuminating effect!

Fairy lights

If you have small children at home and are worried about them being surrounded by candles, fairy lights can be a great alternative. Equally enchanting, these lights add a creative twist as you get your kids to swirl ribbons around each light bulb to make the string of lights look like a line of glowing roses.

Paper lanterns

Make paper lanterns and tape around light bulbs to give your house a more ethnic décor. You can take half a sheet of golden or bronze A4-size paper and shape it into a cylinder. Staple it to hold the sides together and then cut it in half (you should have two smaller cylinders). Using a craft knife, cut vertical slits around the cylinder; leaving half an inch at the bottom and top of the lantern. You can then fasten the mini-lanterns to the light bulbs using strings or tape.

Rangoli

Rangoli — a riot of colourful patterns — has been used for centuries to create ethnic designs and folk art. The patterns can be anything from simple chalk drawings to complex sand art, but they usually involve the lotus flower, a powerful symbol of Lakshmi, which represents rebirth. The powders are readily available as kits to make the decorating process simpler for children. However, rangoli has its downside — it takes a certain degree of artistic talent and is messy. In fact, you will land up spending quite a while cleaning up your floor once Diwali is over. Place a white piece of card — available in most supermarkets — on the floor before decorating. Your rangoli will look just as pretty and you’ll avoid smearing it. An alternative to rangoli is flower petals; there are several flower shops all over the city where pretty petals can be bought. The most popular ones this season are red roses and orange and yellow marigolds.