UP Diwali Special: Festival of Lights, Sweets, Food, Drinks and Party
Diwali, also known as Deepavali or The Festival of Lights, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated across the globe in Autumn. The festival kicks off this week in Nairobi, and has also been made an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.
Food
Food plays an essential part in the festivities of all the world’s cultures, and Diwali is no exception.
Mithai:
These are Indian sweetmeats. They are a cross between snack, dessert and confectionery. They capture Indian culinary perfectly.
Barfi:
A generic term for square or rectangular fudge-like sweets with a fairly firm texture. It comes in dozens of flavours, and is made from any combination of thickened condensed milk, nuts, cardamom, rose water, kewra water, chocolate, and silver or gold leaf.
Sheera
A wonderful dessert that can be prepared in minutes. It does not require much advance preparation, and can be whipped up even at short notice. Sheera is traditional, yet modern in its simplicity, making it a sheer delight.
Drinks
The festival does not allow drinking of booze. Many people although celebrate with champagne, wine, beer or whisky – but it’s not traditional.
Sharbats:
At festive family gatherings, trays crammed with fragrant, colourful juices, mocktails and other soft drinks are passed around, the most popular of which are sharbats.
Milk:
Milk holds a dear place in the heart of Indians. More universally loved are milk drinks such as “badam” (almond) milk and “thandai”, which is imbued with nuts and spices.
Falooda
This is another must try drink! It is like a cross between sundae and bubble tea.
The Party:
Diwali is a vibrant, colourful, joyous celebration! Many people opt to stay at home and spend it with families while other opt for outings within the city of even outside the city.
Images sourced from Google.
Share with us your Diwali plans by sounding off in the comments below.
