Diwali traditions, old and new

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

involved in Diwali (cactus shaped, frog-shaped, or thong-shaped items on your puja thali may not exactly sit with tradition, but you allow it nonetheless for the sake of initiative).

vanquish the dark and bring in the light in a more direct and practical sense. Moving away from stagnant perspectives propels us into higher ways of becoming.

Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to:

INDIAN LINK MEDIA GROUP

Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000

GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001

Ph: 02 9279-2004

Fax: 02 9279-2005

Email: info@indianlink.com.au

Every year after Diwali, my mother-in-law would pick a rupee coin from her puja (worship) platter and put it away with her other Diwali keepsakes. Her Diwali coin collection grew quite large, and included some vintage beauties from decades ago. When she moved to Australia to live with her sons, she divided her Diwali coins equally between her two daughters-in-law. She didn’t tell us to, but we continued the tradition, picking a dollar coin each year to add to the collection.

Diwali is a time of tradition, and not just those that have been passed down to us through the ages. Look at your own Diwali practices and you’ll find some that you have created for your family.

Perhaps you allow your kids to pick their own special candles from the bargain shops, as a way of getting them

Or you preserve the number candles from birthday cakes for the kids to light as their ‘special candles’ (and also as a way of reducing your own waste footprint).

Or you seek out natural candles with no dyes or enhancers.

Perhaps you eschew candles altogether, having reverted to the more sustainable mitti ka diyas (earthen lamps).

Perhaps you’ve moved to buying your special diyas from charity-based operations, to help create opportunity and empower someone in need.

Perhaps mithai has vanished from your Diwali greetings to friends and family, replaced with healthier options of fresh fruit and nuts. Or pot plants.

Perhaps Diwali in your family involves giving to others less fortunate than you.

Your greener, more sustainable and resource-efficient Diwali is a more mindful Diwali – one that allows you to

And so, Diwali can be just as much about evolution and change, as it is about tradition and continuity.

Tradition is necessary in that it values and preserves the collective wisdom of those that came before us. It also provides stability and social identity. At the same time, the past might not always inform the present: given contemporary challenges, change is inevitable, and meaningful change, essential.

Of course, your own new (and progressive) versions of Diwali will pass on to your kids as ‘tradition’.

When my treasured Diwali coin collection ultimately makes its way into my children’s homes, they’ll probably look at it each year and say, check out these vintage Aussie dollar coins from decades ago, and who knows, perhaps add a coin from whatever currency they’re living with.

Have a mindful Diwali.

SHAHRUKH KHAN - DAVID LETTERMAN

Our post on David Letterman’s upcoming Netflix show ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction’ featuring an SRK episode caught a fair few eyeballs.

Umesh Sharma wrote: I wish Dave knew about Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao ....

Nazish Fatima wrote: The most fun Dave ever had? Seriously??

Roxy Irani wrote: Sooo gonna watch this. And David Letterman is right when he says about SRK, "There is something about that man".

Keeping The Chulha Burning

TARINI PURI wrote about Sydney socialite Madhvi Mohindra’s penchant for chulha-cooked meals.

Jasjeet Shergill wrote: I wonder what clay she uses to make the chulha - I have been meaning to make one myself.

Neha P Wadhwa wrote: I would love to taste ...

Navneet Kaur wrote: Where in Parklea? I want a taste!

Bhavin Patel wrote: Good one but who has the time to cook (like this).

Akanksha Dewan Aggarwal wrote: Great coverage and a well-written article. Enjoyed reading Madhvi Mohindra’s quotes. Looking forward to sharing a chulha-cooked meal together one day.

Gracy Jackson wrote: What a story, loved it.

Neeru Saluja wrote: Beautiful story.

Where In Oz

We asked you to identify this ‘secret’ spot. Readers Soona Raj Nair, Vinay Pawar Khandelwal, Choudhary Shika, Jillian Abery, Smita Lawande Acharya correctly identified it as Joint US-Australian missile defence base at Pine Gap, Alice Springs, NT.

Erika Wadlow wrote: Not exactly 'secret' then!

Nalin Sharda wrote: Rasgulla farm.