Subbus Kitchen

Diwali(Deepavali) is a Festival of Lights. The significane of Diwali is that, it removes the darkness and brings light to the life. This auspicious occasion comes on the tamil month Ipasi(late october or early november) on krishnapakshi chaturthi.This festival is celebrated to enjoy the happy moments of vanquishing of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna, the triumph of good over Evil!.Diwali is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen 'diyas' (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households.

On Diwali day, early in the morning, elderly people will put kolam and will keep sweets, snacks, crakers, new dresses, vetrilai paaku and coconut for neivehdyam. The Hindus usually awake early in the morning of deepavali around 3am and the first ritual will be having an oil bath, which is an important feature of Diwali. In brahmin familes Diwali Legium will be offered to every individual which will make your stomach ready for the marathon between your hand and mouth on diwali. Then the new cloths will be offered to the every individual by the elderly people. Most of the ladies would be clad in silk saris or Punjabi suits of various bright shades. Hindus would also pay their respects to the elderly and most families would go to the temple. The houses would be decorated with oil lamps and children will play with firecrackers to celebrate the festival.

On this day, we prepare sweets and snacks and offer the same to friends, neighbours and relatives. You can try some of the recipes mentioned below.

I am just describing here how we celebrate diwali. More or less all the tamil brahmins celebrate diwali in this way only. The night before diwali we put a Maakkolam in the Pooja room and keep the new dresses of all the family members on the wooden plank. Also we put small amount of Turmeric on one corner of the dress. The next day (Diwali day) I used to wake up at around 3 AM in the morning and prepare the boiling water for the bath of all the family members. We keep one bowl of boiling water, some amount of oil(Nallennai) in a bowl,some sweets and snacks which we prepared for Diwali, some crackers along with the new dresses and also light the Vilakku (Deepam). Then i used to wake up the family members one by one. Every individual has to sit east side facing on the wooden plank which is already decorated by maakkolam in the last day. The i apply the oil(Nallaennai) in his/her head. Once the oil is applied then he/she is supposed to take a bath in the hot water. The boiling water has to be prepared in advance. This ritual bath is called "Ganga Snanam". After the bath the individual has to come to the pooja room where all the new dresses were kept. Usually the elderly one of the house (in my home, my husband), will give the new dresses to the individual. He / She supposed to ask for blessing from the god and to the eldest member of the house and to get their new dresses from him. He / She wore the new dresses and then they can go to play with crackers. Once every individual of the family has taken the "Ganga snanam" all wore the new dresses and they go to the temple to offer prayers. Going to the temple with all the family members in their new dresses is the key part of Diwali. The younger ones are enjoying with the fire works, I will be busy preparing the breakfast. We offer the sweets and snacks to the friends and neighbours and also greet each other.

Wishing you a very Happy Diwali!!.. Enna Ganga Snanam acha !??