Celebs reveal their special Diwali plans and what the festival means to them

Mitaali Nag
Diwali is a festival of celebrating light over darkness. I make sure that every year for Diwali I give the underprivileged a few packs of readymade diyas so that they can light up their homes too. I want to make sure that my little one Rudransh makes this as a habit of helping the less blessed ones light up their homes for Diwali.

Pranitaa Pandit
Diwali for me is extremely important because it is a festival of light and happiness and it's a festival of sharing. So this year I'm going to be in Delhi for Diwali and with my side of the family. I'm very excited to share these moments with Anysha because she will see the celebration of my side of the family for the first time. There’s no celebration alone. So it's like having the whole family come together, sit, eat, play cards, part and praying at the same time. So all I would always want to wish for her on Diwali is to be with her family. One habit that I would want her to have.

Nivedita Basu
This year my plan is to move into my new house which has been under renovation for the first four months. My baby has been staying away in Delhi at my mom’s house. She is having fun but I am not because I am missing her. The excitement is that she is coming and we will be moving back to our newly renovated house. I will be in Mumbai only this time. In true sense we celebrated Diwali when I was in Delhi. I don’t know if my kids would know what real Diwali celebrations feel like. For me, Diwali is catching up with friends, we play cards and there are some friends with whom I meet only during this time. On the day of Diwali, we do puja at our house and at our in-laws place, wear new clothes and have good food. That completes the celebrations.

Neelu Kohli
Diwali for me is festivities and happiness. There are so many positive vibes, good food and everything is so bright all around during this time. I will be in Mumbai during Diwali. We do puja, buy something made of gold, then spend some quality time with family. Since childhood we have been following this tradition of not leaving the house alone on Diwali because that is the day when Maa Lakshmi visits us. So on Diwali, we keep our doors and windows open, light up diyas. My son has just returned, so he will be with us and that’s the biggest gift for me during this time. After Diwaly, we all plan to travel.

Hiten Paintal
I love all the Indian festivals. I stay in the Lokhandwala complex and it’s decorated so well. The entire vibe is amazing. Everyone is dressed in lovely clothes and we meet and greet each other. For the last two years, due to the pandemic, we didn’t have much to do but before that we used to have Diwali parties starting a month before Diwali. We used to go to our friend’s place, play cards and binge on food. This year things are coming back to normal so I am going to be in Mumbai. We don’t follow any rituals as such, just do puja at home and light up diyas and decorate the house very well. There is Diwali cleaning done and we also eat good food.

Anjali Phougat
This year Diwali is going to be very special. We have bought a house so I am excited to move into it and do the Diwali puja there. The significance of Diwali is very big in my life.  It’s an auspicious festival. This year, I have come a very long way in my professional life as well. I have received a Times 40 Under 40 Achievers Award. My brand recently got listed in the CFDA council of fashion designers of America, then I bought a new house. I will be throwing a big party since we all are pandemic-free now and I would be able to invite my friends over. We will do puja followed by a party once I move into the house. Every Diwali I decorate my house with lights, rangolis and put diyas everywhere. We use LED diyas to decorate the house since here the houses are of wood. We do the Laxmi puja, eat sweets, and burst firecrackers with friends.

Priya Malik
This is our first Diwali since the wedding and it’s really special for us. Our Diwali plans would be doing Lakshmi puja at home and spending time with our friends and family. I am an environmentalist by nature and I do believe in sound and pollution-free Diwali so we don’t burst crackers. In fact I urge people to not burst crackers. Diwali for me always symbolizes new beginnings. It’s one of the largest festivals in our country. It always lights a new beginning in a person’s life. It’s one of the festivals that I look forward to the entire year and this year makes it even more special because Karan and I would be celebrating as husband and wife.

Mrunal Jain
The best thing this year is that after two years, we are back to celebrating a festival like Diwali like we used to. That gives you a feeling that your life is back to normal. This Diwali I’m going to buy some gold for my family and some gifts as well. Definitely, I’m taking a break from work and going on a family vacation. We will be doing Laxmi puja and everything. So that is something I’m definitely looking forward to and spending more time with my family.  In the times of Covid, you didn’t want to celebrate anything because everyone was battling with life, trying to safeguard themselves. So the meaning of the festival definitely feels new and fresh again and like something which was a part of our life earlier.