Decorate diyas

October 24, 2011 07:31 pm | Updated 07:31 pm IST

Make them prety: Decorate diyas . Photo: Mohammed Youssuf

Make them prety: Decorate diyas . Photo: Mohammed Youssuf

Come Deepavali it is customary to decorate our houses with traditional diyas to welcome wealth, prosperity and celebrate the victory of good over bad/evil. So this year, let's make some diyas and you can gift them as well.

The mix

All you need is red soil and black soil (dry) preferably from your garden or backyard, some fuller's earth (multani mitti) , a big sieve (used for seiving flour), water and old newspapers.For decoration you need poster colours or oil paints, brushes, glue, some glitter, decorative mirrors and decorative sequins or lace.

Spread the sheet of newspaper and sieve the red soil and black soil and mix the two fine soils. Add some fuller's earth and make a firm clay. Once the clay is ready make round balls. Flatten them on your palm using little water and mould them into a small diya, pinch with your finger tips at one corner for the wick.

Let the diyas dry in shade for two to three days. Once they are fully dried colour them with dark shades as your base. Draw patterns with bright colours and sticking mirrors and sequins with glue and sprinkle glitter to give that final look. Make a cotton wick and fill the diya with oil and get set to arrange them around the home before the festival.

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