We all get fatter during Diwali!
Each week, we speak to an expert in their particular field. this weekend, we talk to mother of two Tejerani Dasi, of Ellistown, about how her family celebrates the Hindu Festival of Light
The big countdown
Diwali preparations begin a few weeks before the festival. Mum starts to make all the delicious deep fried snacks, called nasto – including special pastries with nuts in, sev (crisp, thin vermicelli), ghanthia (golden brown dough), chakri (crunchy spirals) and, of course, sweets.
Years ago she would sit down with other women in the community and make foods together.
Hard to resist
My favourites are the sweets, burfi, coconut milk, the moon-shaped pastries. Everyone always gets fatter during Diwali.
Time for families
I love this time of year because it is all about family and friends, and giving presents. It's very social time.
Often you can go months without seeing people and at Diwali everybody gets together.
We call in on neighbours and give gifts and catch up with what's happening, swap recipes. It's a very happy, loving time.
Switching on
Today, for the lights switch-on, we will go down to the Belgrave Road and will be there for the chanting of the holy name and take Prasad (sanctified food) to give away to people.
We have something like 3,000 packs of mixed fruits and little sweets. You get to meet the whole of Leicester, and probably the whole of the Midlands, there.
Taking turns
As I'm married, I spend part of the celebration with my husband's family and the second day with my parents.
We take it in turns every year. My in-laws have people coming from Tamworth and Birmingham, it's a real big bash. Three generations sitting around the table and eating lots of food, everyone chatting and being noisy because they won't have seen each other for ages.
Golden rule
The tradition is that a husband should buy his wife gold but I'm not really into gold – it's too yellow. I don't do the whole gold thing.
Such a buzz
Diwali means lots of sweets, happy faces, presents, having a day off – but it's always cold. The girls have all these pretty saris underneath a winter coat and scarves.
I remember as a child we would have a cold nose and be absolutely freezing but still having the most fantastic time with the celebrations. I relish that we get to listen to the hundreds of people chanting the holy name, and watching the dancing. There is a real buzz about it.
Educating children
We have two daughters, Dhamesvari, four, and Narayani, who is 15 months old. We wrap them up really warm and go out to Belgrave Road.
With Dhamesvari, prior to going to the festival we will role play the stories of the Gods at home, so she knows Rama and Sita and she is really loving it. I think it is important to educate the younger ones. Rama had some amazing qualities which, as human beings, we should strive towards.
Keep it spiritual
Not everybody does big expensive presents. I love to keep it quite spiritual instead of rushing around. I don't do the whole "let's go out and buy lots of presents".
We prefer to make our own as then you are putting the effort into it, and thinking about the people you are giving the present to.
At the moment my daughter is making diva lamps for her teachers, we are baking biscuits for friends and we make sure we have enough to give to everyone.
Diwali is such a social time, you end up going to people's houses you may not have seen for a year.
Seeing fireworks
On Diwali Day, we will have morning worship at home. We make food for the lord and offer it at our temple in the house. Before we had the children, we would go to temple. But with young children, it is easier to worship at home, read a little bit with the children, then we will be ready to go over to lunch with the family. Then we go to Belgrave Road and meet up with friends and then to Cossington Park to see the fireworks.
Sense of peace
The pace of life has become so fast we are just rushing around all over the place. At the temple, there's a sense of community and peace.
Back to the city
We have done the whole "escape to the country" but we are moving back to the city. Once you have children, I think you need to be with your friends and family and Dhamesvari has just started a new school.
Christmas time
At Christmas, we will give small presents, it doesn't have to be very expensive. Last year, all Dhamesvari wanted was a pencil case so that's what she got and she loved it.
Cow worship
The day after Diwali Day members of the Hare Krishna temple will go to Gorse Hill City Farm for Govardhan Puja. We worship the cow on this holy day, which is the first day of the new year.
In the photo above: Tejarani Dasi with daughters Dhamesvari, 4, and Narayani, 15 months. Picture: Matt Short
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