Making the most of a lockdown Diwali

Harish, Francesca, Dip and Amandeep are still planning on having a fun Diwali

Ask anyone who celebrates Diwali, and they'll tell you it's one of the highlights of the year.

Going to the temple, meeting up with family, having delicious food and watching fireworks - what's not to like?

But this year, because of coronavirus, things are going to be very different.

Lockdown restrictions in England mean it's not possible to meet family members from different households or go to the temple for group worship.

But it doesn't mean celebrations this year have to be any less enjoyable. Radio 1 Newsbeat has been finding out how people are planning to still have a fun Diwali.

Cooking up a feast

"The point of Diwali is light over darkness," Harish Malhi tells Newsbeat.

"It's one of the few times in the year the entire family comes together. We all dress in new clothes, cook a huge feast and go to the temple."

The 25-year-old Sikh has siblings who live abroad and the pandemic means it's not possible to see them.

But he's determined to bring Diwali to them and "make the most of this situation".

Harish doesn't want his siblings to feel left out as they can't visit due to the pandemic

Harish is the founder of Diaspo, an online platform that runs cooking classes, and is using his talents to make sure his family and others in the community can still feel a sense of home.

"Food's always an integral part. So I decided to organise ways to celebrate Diwali online, with traditional cooking classes and creative classes to replicate that feeling of community," he says.

"It's so people are transported home and have the smells and tastes they would usually have on Diwali."

Harish normally goes to the Gurdwara to light candles

Harish thinks this year can still be as enjoyable because it's a positive celebration in a time of difficulty.

"The most beautiful thing is this encourages people from all over the place to come together, eat together, cook together and celebrate together," he says.

What is Diwali?

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.

This year it started on 12 November, with the main day of celebrations taking place on 14 November.

Houses, shops and public places are decorated with small oil lamps called diyas.

'A chance to do new things'

This Diwali is an opportunity to do something different, according to Francesca Bhavisi.

For the 21-year-old Hindu, that has meant taking part in online challenges against other people.

"There's rangoli (traditional Indian decorations) and mithai (sweets)-making competitions."

"Normally you spend time with family. But restrictions this year mean you have to find a new way of seeing people," says Francesca

It's easy to be "contained within ourselves or our family" she says. "But celebrating in this pandemic has meant we can connect to people in ways we never thought would normally be possible."

Francesca will follow the normal routine of prayer and food with her family.

But the chance to connect with new faces and do things she wouldn't normally will make this Diwali "equally enjoyable".

"It's like an extra effort making up for things not being normal."

Rangoli decorations are familiar for those who celebrate Diwali

Turning teacher

Amandeep Turna will be spending her first Diwali away from her family - making it "a DIY Diwali" for her.

"It's one of the two times in the year the whole family gets together, the other being Christmas," the 25-year-old Sikh says.

But she's going to use this Diwali to connect further with her faith and the meaning of Diwali - and she'll do that by turning teacher.

Amandeep will spend the day calling her family, attempting to make her first-ever batch of samosa and then having a sit-down with her housemates.

"This Covid-friendly Diwali is going to involve me teaching my two non-Diwali celebrating housemates about what the celebration means."

She says it's "easy to get caught up" in the food and fireworks and "forget what Diwali is actually about".

"If this year has taught us anything, it's to take the small wins.

"There's no way I would've spent time teaching and connecting deeper with Diwali in normal times," she adds.

Amandeep says it will "be difficult" to not spend Diwali with her family

She doesn't usually do gifts for her family on Diwali, but this year requires something sweeter - Diwali chocolates made from Indian sweets.

"They'll probably prefer the gift of sweets to the gift of me visiting so hopefully I haven't set myself up for failure for next year," she jokes.

A family singalong

Dip Lodhiya says the festival "brings a good spirit" into people's lives.

A typical Diwali sees a week of cooking, "cleaning every corner" of the house and then a day of prayer, seeing family and fireworks.

This year will be different and difficult but that's no reason to not enjoy yourself according to Dip

"Usually you want blessings from your elders but this year I can't exactly say 'can you jump on a quick video call I want some blessings'," the 23-year-old Hindu says.

But that's no reason to not have an enjoyable Diwali, he says, and for Dip, it will be a mega "family social" Zoom with 40 people.

Dressing up in traditional clothes is a big part of Diwali for Dip (second from right) and his family

There'll be stories from elders, "the ones when they start and just don't stop", he laughs.

The stories will be supplemented by games such as Countdown and Articulate - with a competitive round of musical bingo full of "classic Indian songs that everyone can be involved in".

"And then a singing game called Antakshari, where you're in teams. That works surprisingly well on Zoom," he adds.

"It's so important we do this, particularly in a pandemic when we're looking for an excuse to celebrate something."

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