Diwali—also referred to as Deepavali—is just around the corner for 2023. Celebrating the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, Diwali marks the return of celebratory dancing, decorating homes, prayer and, of course, awesome food.
From sugary chocolate Sandesh to soft and spicy Paneer Tikka, exploring cultures through food is our favourite kind of adventure here at Urban List—and we're already salivating thinking about all the dishes we'll whip up in November.
To help you bring the light and flavours of this five-day holiday home with some delicious help from The Spice Tailor, we asked our readers to share different ways to celebrate Diwali in 2023.
Come Together With Mates
Diwali is celebrated across the globe, with countries like India, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, and Fiji reserving a public holiday for the main day of the cultural event. On this day, people open their homes and decorate with vibrant lights called 'diyas', share gifts and good wishes, and eat heaps of great food.
"I didn't grow up celebrating Diwali, but some of my uni friends do—so this year I'm going to a friend’s event they're hosting."— Tiasha, Engineer
"Although me and my family don't celebrate Diwali, we like to honour the day with festivities in our own community."—Nihal, Support Worker And Student
Feast On Awesome Veggie Eats
During Diwali, meat is swapped out for vego dishes. Family come together and whip up hearty dishes that are worth unbuttoning your pants for. Some of our favourites? Paneer tikka and samosas, and veggie dals and curries.
"Before Diwali, we stop cooking and eating meat and go full vego. Everyone makes lots of sweet and savory dishes to share with family and friends."— Gopal, CEO
"We make heaps of Indian sweets and snacks to give away as gifts and spend time decorating the house in lights. We also feast on and share a lot of vegetarian food—it’s the best time of year.”
—Deeksha, Student
Hit Up Community Events
Diwali is all about coming together and celebrating. As the holiday is focussed around light, many people meet up and set off fireworks during events and attend local markets.
"There are usually functions held all around the state and country. A chief guest is invited to join in the celebrations—once it was the Premier of Victoria. There's a huge event hosted at Fed Square in the City every year in Melbourne— famous Bollywood Stars are invited and a lot of colorful dances, songs and music are part of the event."— Gopal, CEO
“I didn’t grow up celebrating the holiday, but this year I’m very excited to attend some community open markets and festivals.”—Bella, Writer
Dress Up And Dance
Dancing around clay lights called Garbha Deep is a tradition to bring in the Indian New Year. Keen to get among the festivities? Hit up the Diwali Festival Team events in Brisbane and Sydney, the Victorian Festival of Diwali in Melbourne's Fed Square and Diwali Mela Festival Of India in Perth.
“I've only spent Diwali with family and friends where we dress up and dance our way into the Indian New Year. People bring in artists from India to sing and perform all night. They're really fun."
—Deeksha, Student
“This year, I cannot wait to dress-up and celebrate with dancing at Diwali functions!"—Aneri, Owner
Ready to celebrate? Versatile and easy to follow, The Spice Tailor products can be transformed into restaurant-quality meals to share in minutes. Explore the flavours of Diwali through their bold flavours, available at your closest Coles, Woolworths, IGA and select independent retailers.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by The Spice Tailor and proudly endorsed by Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.
Images: Yan Krukau