Light up your mood this Diwali

Don’t feel festive enough this season? Take inspiration from these three youngsters and find ways to make it special.

When you’re living alone in the city and your job takes up pretty much all of your life, the one day’s leave that you get for Diwali seems insignificant. If you feel that sleeping the day off sound like a better idea than celebrating it alone, you might want to reconsider your idea. Let these three youngsters who are new to the city motivate you to bring in the festivities with as pomp and show as you would in the company of your loved ones.

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Love thy neighbour
Twenty-three old Aanchal Srivastav, who moved in to the city a month ago, lives all by herself. But not being with family for the festival hasn’t dampened her spirits. “Diwali is usually a big deal at home. Since this year I’m not with my family, I've decided to celebrate it with my neighbours,” she says. “The elderly couple who live next door have been really sweet; they are like my own family in the new city,” she says. To make her day special, Aanchal also plans to cook for the couple.

Benevolence factor
Anurag Kohli, 28, who recently returned to the city after a long sail on his merchant navy ship, will be spending his Diwali alone for the first time. “I was looking forward to spending time with my family. But due to an emergency, they had to rush to Delhi. So I have decided to celebrate it by visiting an old-age home. I will go there with sweets and crackers and spend Diwali night with them. I have always wanted to do something like this, so I’m happy that I am now getting an opportunity,” he says.

Cards to break the ice
Tanvi Mehta is using the festival as a perfect excuse to bond with her colleagues at her new place of work. On Diwali, she will be
inviting her teammates over for a customary card party. “For the longest time, I was disillusioned about not having any friends around to celebrate Diwali with. But then I realised that I need to make the effort to socialise. I associate Diwali with friends, crackers and sweets, and even if I am alone this year, I’ll make sure I get the party started,” she says.