Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, celebrates the triumph of all that is positive over all that would keep us in darkness. It’s a five-day celebration that encompasses many traditions, and the most exuberant festivities happen on one night that falls during mid-October to mid-November.
Diwali is a time for redecorating and freshening up one’s home, as expected with any holiday that involves gathering with family and friends. Lights, candles, and reflective surfaces of all kinds are a major theme, and many families even repaint their home. Oil lamps called diyas, tea lights, candles, and string lights are all part of the holiday glow.
In northern India, household and decorative objects sparkle with pieces of mirrored glass that ward off the evil eye. During Diwali this multiplies the holiday glow over and over, creating a truly magical aura. Mirrorwork, called shisha, involves hand-embroidering tiny glass mirrors into home textiles and clothing alike. Other decor is made using lac resin, which artisans heat until it’s pliable and then use small tweezers and needles to press mirrored slivers into the soft surface. This method often captures the artist’s fingerprints as well, giving handmade lac objects a rustic, personal feel.
