Deepavali is here and while many of us probably still swear by the traditional oil diyas, there are more ways to bring light into your homes today. Stocky wax candles have given way to flameless LED tea lights and fairy lights are not just meant to cascade down your roof anymore. Here’s a lowdown on some offbeat ways to light up your living space this Deepavali.
With the increasing consciousness about up-cycling and re-cycling, domestic glass bottles are now being crafted into different kinds of lighting solutions. Swati Sarang, owner of Swahki, says: “Recycling is a fun way to create some beautiful tea light votives or candle holders. We have made these by cutting the bottles, polishing the edges, and then decorating them using different techniques such as decoupage, painting, stone work and etching.”
Bottle lamps have been trending for a while now. And if you don’t have one, Arpitha Badrinath, owner of Knotty Hippooo, proposes: “You could take a thick cardboard, cut it to a rectangle piece, and make it into a cylinder. With a needle, start poking the cardboard to make any design you like and then just put in LED lights and light up your house.”
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For those who prefer DIY decorations, Arpitha has another suggestion. “All you need are a few balloons, twine or thread, white school glue and corn flour mixture, and LED lights. Fill the balloon with air, dip the thread in the glue mixture and wind it around the balloon. Continue the procedure till the surface is covered completely and set it aside to dry for five to six hours. Burst the balloon and pull it out. Make a few more and run LED lights through them. These can be used indoors as well as outdoors.”
Lanterns have always added charm to home, wedding, or festival décor. This year, paper lanterns are a rage and Sunehra Koshy, proprietor of Crack of Dawn Crafts, opines: “To decorate your home with paper lanterns, firstly you must use LED tea lights and not candles or diyas. Also, the key is volume! Nothing sets the perfect ambience better than a whole lot of decor items. Place these paper lanterns all over your home — on your peck tables, coffee tables, your TV stand or on the dining table. Line them on the floor along your corridors. You can even string them up and hang them from the ceiling.”
In terms of colour options for paper lantern lighting, she says: “ Mix bright and dull colours to create a memorable look.”
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At Turtle Krafts, Shruti Ballal creates “String O’Lights” that are handcrafted with great care. “Each paper cup luminary has been hand-painted in bold colours to perfection. These lights are great for both outdoor and indoor decoration,” she suggests.
Rashmy A.R. of Srushti Jewellery says: “Fairy lights are oh so passé! Glowing handmade nylon blooms with fairy lights forming the bud — now that’s interesting! You can hang these down your walls, lining your doorway or roof, light up your mantelpiece or intertwine it with plants in your garden.”
While fireworks are always a lovely sight, if you only enjoy the light and not the deafening noise and choking air pollution, you might like to give sky lanterns or floating lights a shot this time. An integral part of many Asian cultures, glow lanterns are airborne paper lanterns that denote prosperity and good luck. Jayant Srikumar, owner of Glow Lanterns, a leading supplier of authentic sky lanterns, hanging lanterns, candle bags, and LED tea light candles, in India, says: “An eco-friendly Deepavali is the best way to celebrate the festival. We use rice paper which is durable and eco-friendly and is coated with a fire proof spray to ensure maximum safety for those using these mini hot air balloons of sorts. They come in a wide range of colours, are safe and ready to use. They are also called ‘wish lanterns’.”
While the expat community in India has as much as fun as we do on Deepavali, we have also adopted some of their traditions. “We also make reusable candle bags that are popular in the US and UK (they use it for Halloween, Christmas, and New Year), ,” Jayant adds.
So go on, take your pick, light up your world!