Dazzle Your Home for Diwali: A Guide Tailored for the American Diaspora
- Dr. K.
- Oct 4, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 30
Getting your home ready for Diwali is a deeply enriching experience that goes beyond the aesthetics of decoration. It's a celebration of the vibrant Indian culture, an opportunity to reconnect with your roots, and an occasion to share the warmth of tradition with your loved ones.
In this comprehensive exploration, we will delve into heartfelt ways to adorn your home for Diwali, specifically curated for the American diaspora. All the links in this article are from Amazon.com so that its easy for you to access any product you wish to add to your home decor.
Decorating Your Home for Diwali
The Festival of Lights is synonymous with vibrant decorations that illuminate homes and hearts. Here are some thoughtful ways to infuse your space with the spirit of Diwali:
Rangoli Designs
Create stunning rangoli patterns at your doorstep using vibrant colored powders, rice, flower petals, colored sand, stickers or acrylic designs.
You can find rangoli stencils online to assist you in crafting intricate patterns that reflect the festival’s exuberance, so we would encourage you to go the traditional route but there are many options available on Amazon.
Amazon Finds:
Rangoli Floor Pattern Stickers, easy to apply & remove
Large Acrylic Floor Rangoli - readymade!
Small Acrylic Floor Rangoli - readymade!
Diwali Diyas and Lights
Illuminate your home with traditional clay diyas and lanterns. Place them on windowsills, along staircases, or create beautiful arrangements on tables. The warm glow symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness.
Here are some of our Amazon finds!
Traditional Lights
Metal candle holders - can be used with tea lights or with oil-based cotton wick candle
Clay Diya Holders - can be used with tea lights or with oil-based cotton wick candle
Clay Diyas with Wax (Set of 9, Ready to go!)
Easy Diya Ghee Wicks (SO easy to use, perfect for puja)
Tea Light Candles (Set of 64, colorful, with Sandalwood, Patchouli, etc)
Never leave a burning diya unattended, and always burn it in a safe place, away from children. If you want to decorate your entire home with these diyas, another great alternative are the battery-operated diyas or the solar ones.
Battery / Solar Lights
Solar Powered Tea Lights (outdoor, waterproof, LED)
Hanging Solar Lanterns with Handles (set of 2)
Diwali Curtain String Lights (Flame-shaped lights)
LED Curtain String Lights (party backdrop)
Diwali-inspired Decor
Majestic Mandala Art: Adorn your walls with mandala art. These intricate, circular patterns not only represent unity and harmony but also add an elegant touch to your interiors. Mandala decals are easily available online. You can also use mandala cutouts as Diwali party decor.
Amazon Finds: Diwali Elephant Cutouts + Mandala Wall Decals Peel & Stick
India-Inspired Decor: Utilize colorful saris as curtains, table runners, or cushion covers. Invest in Diwali-themed tablecloths, placemats, and napkins. All of this should add a festive touch to your home.
Amazon Finds:
Gold Sequin Tablecloth (glam element!)
Diwali purple placemats (goes with white & orange pumpkins, so multi-functional)
Floral Ambiance: Decorate your home with flower arrangements. Marigold garlands, rose petals, and jasmine strings not only add a natural fragrance but also evoke the essence of traditional Indian celebrations. If you live abroad, you know that it is not easy to find fresh marigold flowers. Not to worry, we got you covered!
Just buy fake marigold strings from your local Indian store or from Amazon. The best part of these flower strings is that you can reuse them every Diwali.
Amazon Finds:
Diwali Marigold garlands with LED lights (10 piece)
Marigold Garlands (5 piece)
Marigold Flower Heads with stems (50-200 pieces)
Marigold Orange and Yellow Garlands (pack of 5)
White rose flowers with green leaves (8 garlands)
Toran, Banners & Wreaths: Hang decorative torans made of mango leaves, beads, or fabric at your entrance. Torans are considered auspicious and signify a warm welcome for your guests. Alternatively, get a simple wreath for your front door.
The aim is to incorporate an Indian ambiance without relying heavily on religious symbols. While the swastika holds deep meaning in Hindu philosophy, representing ancient Sanskrit texts, Gandhi's birthplace, and Buddha in Buddhism, it's crucial to exercise caution. The symbol can be misinterpreted due to its resemblance to the Nazi emblem and white supremacist imagery at certain angles. Given the limited awareness of its context in our foreign environment, it's recommended to display it indoors, within your home, rather than outside.
Amazon Finds:
Torans do not need to have a religious significance. This porch banner is a perfect one as it has all the same Fall colors - so it adds to your Fall decor while giving it a little Indian-touch!
Diwali Party Magic: If you're planning an Indian party with a Diwali theme, here are some helpful ideas. If you can't hire a henna artist, consider buying temporary tattoos. Photo booth props are always enjoyable, creating lovely memories. To enhance the theme, opt for colorful and festive plates and napkins. Typically, a package serves 25-50 people, so consider this option to embrace the event's spirit instead of making a trip to Costco.
Amazon Finds:
Ethnic Artifacts: Showcase traditional Indian elements on wooden or brass artifacts. Buy an Urli bowl and adorn it with tea light candles and flowers. Regular candles don't float in water, so buy floating candles.
Amazon Finds
A decorative brass diya is certainly a showpiece! Here are some suggestions to explore.
Amazon Finds
Pooja Corner
Finally, the religious aspect of Diwali. Not everyone celebrates Diwali with puja so you don't need to do any of these but if you want to, here are some ideas.
Create a serene pooja (prayer) corner with idols, incense, and candles. Adorn the backdrop with intricate tapestries or curtains to infuse the space with spiritual energy.
Amazon Finds
