"Diwali has always been an important celebration for my family. As a tradition, the entire family comes down from all parts of the country to celebrate Diwali at my home in Kanpur. It truly is an amazing experience to have each and every family member present for the puja every day. Then, of course, who can forget the sweets, crackers, lights & card games in the evenings? However, what always excited me the most was shopping for the new clothes that we had to wear for all of the days of Diwali. This year, I will be missing all of the celebrations at home."
"Diwali is an important festival which marks Lord Ram's homecoming after defeating Ravana. As kids we used to smear ourselves with sandalwood in the morning and then take a shower. We used to spend our evenings lighting up the entire house with Diyas and lights and my sisters would make Rangolis. We eagerly looked forward to visiting our cousins during Diwali and bursting crackers together. Diwali is all about spending time with your near and dear ones and soaking in the air of festivity."