Growing up in Detroit, food writer Khushbu Shah celebrated Diwali with a string of parties, flickering diyas (oil lamps) and marigold flowers around the house, and mithais (sweets) sent from family in India. “And just a ton of food,” the former Food & Wine restaurant editor tells Vogue from her home in Los Angeles. “Food on every countertop and the maximum number of people you can fit into a house.
If you stood outside on the corner, you would hear laughter from our house. It was that raucous and fun.” Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is one of the most significant and vibrant festivals in Hindu culture, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and the victory of good over evil.
Typically observed in October or November, the celebration spans five days, each with its unique customs and rituals. During this time, homes are transformed into radiant sanctuaries, warm with the glow of diyas and candles. Fireworks and sparklers are often part of the celebrations, along with prayers and offerings to deities such as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
Families also exchange gifts and sweets, and many wear new clothes to mark the occasion—a time of joy, togetherness, renewal, and optimism for the future. With a professed “huge sweet tooth,” Shah’s favorite Diwali foods include shrikhand , a thickened, sweetened yogurt with saffron and cardamom, as well as freshly fried pakoras , sheathed in dense, savory chickpea-flour batter. “At these parties, there will.
