Diwali/Deepavali-Celebration and Recipe Collection

Diwali is approaching with a bang,slowly crackers have started to burst down the streets,the aroma of hot oil,cardamom ghee etc is spread everywhere in the neighborhood and people who are going to native/in laws/parents are already busy in shopping/packing.There is certainly some sort of fun and thrill associated with this festival,something unique and something special.A festival that is celebrated throughout the country with great zeal.This is the only festival where in you start preparing goodies almost 2 weeks ahead and you need not wait to feast on them.Yes,there is no offering,worshiping etc for these goodies :)Just prepare,share and munch.Next coming to new dress,for sure the excitement and fun we had during Diwali shopping as a kid has decreased a lot now.When we were kids new dresses were not so common and we never purchased as and when we felt like,as we are doing now.Only few occasions like Diwali,birthday and navrathri brought us new dress along with them:). So we will be eagerly waiting for these occasions and "we will go for shopping today" was definitely music to our ears :). How can any one forget about crackers on this day. Kambi mathappu,colour mathapu,tharai chakaram,busvanam,oosi vedi,pottu vedi,saram and rocket :)(Varieties of fireworks and crackers in Tamil). I am/ was never a fan of those loud crackers like lakshmi vedi yanai vedi etc(I just dont understand the reason behind people getting excited with thsese kind of loud noise). While talking about crackers,when we were kids,my cousins,my sister and I would start bursting crackers at least a month before Diwali,yes we will start with mathappu and slowly proceed towards crackers and even after Diwali is over.we will be litting up pambu mathirai and all the waste papers that have accumulated :). We used to see the quantity of waste papers before each house and compare the quantity.It was all fun :). Here I have tried to explain the way we celebrate with a collection of festival spread,snacks and sweets.Please read on.

Diwali is celebrated to welcome Lord Krishna after he demised the evil Naraksura (demon). We used to get two set of dress,one to wear on the eve of Diwali and other one in the morning.Unlike North India,here in Tamil nadu Diwali is celebrated only for 1 one day,in the month of Aippasi (Tamil calendar). On the eve of Diwali we gather all the new dresses,bought for all the members in the house and apply a pinch of turmeric in an unseen place.(This is done for all the new dress whenever we wear). Then the dresses will be neatly arranged in a manai (Palagai) and place before God.Next day we wake up early(there were days we woke up as early as 3!) and first thing to do is the eldest member of house lit up a cracker and throw it in the street.(There was a hidden competition to see which house woke up first :) ). Then all the members will sit ready for oil bath.The eldest lady member of the house will apply the sacred oil and keep nalangu(a paste made of turmeric and kungumam) in the feet and hands to all the other members,make them eat a vethalai (beetle leaves)along with a banana and to herself.(Sesame oil heated with peppercorns and few other ingredients). On this day we are supposed to take bath only in hot water.This bath on Diwali is considered as sacred as bathing in river holy Ganga. Next all the members will gather before God and get the dresses from the eldest (Grandfather/Grandmother or both) and wear them.The next thing we will do is eat Deepavali marundhu (a preserve kind made with lots of ingredients with medicinal value) and get blessings from elders(we used to get money from all the elders :) ). This is the significant part of Diwali and eating this marundhu is a must.After this the children will run out of the house and never make an appearance until they are called out almost 100 times to take food :). Yes they will be busy in the streets bursting crackers :)In some homes there is a tradition of eating Idly and ukkarai (a Tamil sweet) on Diwali for breakfast,we generally have the festival spread itself.When we were growing up,cable TV and private channels were also growing with us and we were really excited to watch any new film they telecast on the day of Diwali evening.Some homes they also go to temple,watch a new film its all their own ways of celebrating the festival.Next is Thalai Diwali.Thalai diwali is the first diwali,a newly wedded couple celebrate.This usually happens in the Girl's place and the couple receive loads of gifts and new clothes.In our place if there is a home with a couple celebrating Thali diwali,they first burst a 10000wala (a chain of 10000 crackers). After all the celebrations are over,in the night again the eldest member of the house will make all the others stand in a row facing East and take drushti(to remove any evil eye on them) and throw it out of the house.Here I have explained how we do it to the best of my memory and knowledge and this is the custom followed by us in our place.Hope you enjoyed reading :). I have put a collection of all goodies posted here so far,please take a look.
Festival spread

Vadai mor kuzhambu
Thakali mor kuzhambu
Medhu vadai
Ulundhu bonda
Badam kheer
Carrot kheer
Pal payasam
Vazhakai chips
Pasiparuppu arisi payasam
Semiya payaam

Snacks varieties

Kodubale
Aval vadai
Maddur vadai
Uppu seedai
Vazhaipoo vadai
Aval mixture
Thattai(nipattu)

Sweets

Gulab jamun
Rasgulla
Badam halwa
Pasiparuppu badam parupu urundai
Paneer pistachio peda
Asoka halwa
Beetroot halwa
Badam katli
Besan laddu
Badam poori 
Wishing all my dear readers/friends and blogger buddies a very happy,safe and prosperous Deepavali.May this festival of lights remove all darkness and bring in loads of happiness and bright colors in your lives :) :) :)