Diwali 2025: Aahana Kumra recalls celebrations in Lucknow with clay diyas

With the festive season in full swing excitement is in the air and for the artistentrepreneur Aahana Kumra Diwali is not just about lights and parties but also about nostalgia tradition and the warmth of family In an exclusive chat with midday the actress got candid about her childhood memories and celebration plansldquoI plan to go to a lot of Diwali parties this year so Irsquom very happyrdquo she shared ldquoMy parties have already begun which Irsquom very excited about Therersquos a lot of stuff actually happening on the Diwali frontEven with the glamour and social buzz she admits that her heart still lies in the simple soulful celebrations she grew up with ldquoOf course there are many things that we still follow like our Lakshmi Puja which has been the same Puja for yearsrdquo she explains ldquoBut I think the one thing I miss about Diwali in Bombay is that itrsquos very different compared to what it is in the northrdquoAahana Kumra recalls her fond memories from childhoodReminiscing about her childhood in Lucknow Aahana paints a vivid picture of festive warmth ldquoWhen we were in Lucknow I had a very big house and I remember we used to decorate it not with lights but with lamps Whoever has been brought up in the north of India knows this when I say this We used to bring clay lamps into everyonersquos courtyard There used to be a big tub where everybody soaked those lamps then wersquod dry them put mustard oil in them and light them We would go to every corner of the house and place those lampsrdquoAahana Kumra beams with affection as she recalls the atmosphere the scents and sounds that define a truly traditional Diwali ldquoTherersquos a beautiful fragrance of Rathrani mixed with potatoes and mustard oil that always comes during Diwalirdquo she says fondly ldquoAnd I used to wait for Kheer Batase I used to say lsquoKheer Batase aayengersquordquoDiwali she says remains one of her favourite festivals But as life moved to Mumbai the celebrations have evolved ldquoOf course itrsquos become very modern now because now wersquore in Bombayrdquo she shares ldquoItrsquos so different because itrsquos all become parties and sash parties But I think what I really miss about Diwali is the simplicity of the festival and how beautiful it actually can be just if you look at it from the point of view of how you can decorate your house or how beautifully you can celebrate with your family and friendsrdquoAahana Kumra prefers rangoli over firecrackersWhen asked if shersquos a firecracker person she laughs ldquoI donrsquot think I ever burst firecrackers I think I must have done phooljhadi once or twice in my life I get bored I donrsquot get time actually to burst a cracker Irsquom doing so much safaiya and RangolirdquoHer love for art and aesthetics shines through her festive preparations ldquoIrsquom usually like a decoration production designer of the houserdquo she says ldquoI have a house to do for my sister one for myself so I stay in between the three houses like this I donrsquot have the time only for firecrackersrdquoAnd she confirms with a chuckle ldquoYoursquoll definitely be seeing Rangoli from my end again this year I do lots of Rangolis and all sorts of funrdquoFor her Diwali isnrsquot just about celebration itrsquos about connection Between the diyas the memories of Rathrani and the laughter shared between homes her Diwali spirit reflects the perfect balance of nostalgia and new beginnings a festival of both light and love