Diwali Decorations

Posted on August 11, 2007 in Diwali Gifts

Diwali Decorations

Diwali is such an important festival in India that come October or November, everyone buys furnishing, linen, kitchen gadgets and perhaps a car too-all to give the home an air of newness and prosperity.

Fancy decorations lead the preparations for this beautiful and eagerly-awaited festival. People also their homes painted and decorated traditionally. And those who do not buy anything new make cosmetic changes like changing their furniture in each room to give it a minimal air of newness.

Traditional Diwali Decorations:

All said and done, there are some traditional decorations associated with this festival that everyone participates in. Some of them are:

Bandanwar or Door-hangings:

These are decorative door-hangings put out at the entrance of homes especially at Diwali. They give a festive and traditional look to homes and could be decorated with embroidery, bells or mirrors at the entrance of homes and that of the prayer room.

Rangoli:

As a sign of welcome to the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, women design elaborate and colorful Rangoli patterns at the entrances of their homes by hand, often freestyle. They use colored sawdust, chalk, flour or rice-grain. The patterns can be in a square shape, rectangle or circular with motifs drawn from Nature-peacocks, swans, mango, flowers, creepers, etc. Today, however, they also use rice, brick, chilly and turmeric, and to give a 3-D effect, they also use dhanya, cereals, pulses that are tinted with natural dyes. A lot of creativity and hard work go to make beautiful Rangoli patterns.

Diyas and Candles:

Earthen lights or diyas and candles are an inherent part of Diwali decorations. People light every part of their house, including compound walls, terraces and staircases with beautiful diyas and candles in interesting and artistic shapes.

Decorative Lamps:

These lamps add glamour to the house, so are used in large numbers, making them very popular. You can find them in all kinds of materials ranging from rice paper to glass, brass and marble.

Decorative Pieces:

As Diwali gifts, these can be very welcome in most homes, as each gift can be not just eye-catching but customized to your needs. For instance, if you need a reading lamp, you can be given a beautiful ceramic or crystal lamp, just right for your bedside table-and it will be most welcome too. Since this is a time to give a bright new look to the home, decorative pieces are popular as Diwali gifts. People gift curios, ethnic wall hangings, paintings, decorated pots, linen and perfumed candles.

The pleasure that one get in decorating the house for Diwali is so personal and spontaneous that it defies explanation. Still, all those who continually experience it can never have enough of it each year.

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