The festival of lights is celebrated along with the goodness of sweets and other flavourful delicacies. Make this festive season even more special by gifting Vasant Masala’s gift combos to your relative who enjoys cooking as much as you do!
Diwali is the most important and biggest festival of the year in India, which is commemorated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists all around the world. It is a festival of lights, crackers, prayer, and firework displays, and adults & children all love this festival because of that. While Diwali holds significance for a variety of reasons, the core significance is the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Alike many other festivals, the celebration of Diwali was also curbed since last two years but this year, we are back with a bang! This year the celebrations will be enormous and as we all wait for the sweets and delicacies that are on the way.
Let’s understand why we celebrate Diwali and which dishes have been traditionally made during this festival!
Why Do We Celebrate Diwali?
Many stories are related to the celebration of Diwali, here are five most popular mythical and historical stories why Diwali is a great time to celebrate.
1) The Victory of Lord Rama:
On the new moon day of Kartik month, Lord Ram, Ma Sita, and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after defeating the king of Lanka Ravana. The citizens of Ayodhya celebrated their return by decorating the entire city with the earthen lamps, and thus Diwali is celebrated in honor of Lord Rama's victory.
2) Nirvana of Mahavir Tirthankar:
Tirthankar Mahavir, who is considered as the founder of modern Jainism, abandoned his royal life and left his family to become an ascetic, undertaking fasting and bodily mortifications and it is also believed that he attained his nirvana on the day of Diwali and so Diwali is considered a special day for Jains.
3) Red-Letter Day for Sikhs:
The day of Diwali is very important for the Sikhs as on this day in 1577 the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid, and in 1619, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held captive by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was released. The third Sikh Guru Amar Das endowed Diwali as a Red-Letter Day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings.
4) The Birthday of Goddess Lakshmi:
According to mythology, Goddess Lakshmi was first incarnated on the Amavasya of the Kartik month during Samudra-Manthan. She is the Goddess of wealth and thus strongly associated with Diwali.
5) Coronation of King Vikramaditya:
One of the greatest kings of India history- Vikramaditya was crowned on the day of Diwali, and so this day also holds historical significance. He was a legendary emperor who was the ideal king, known for his generosity, courage, and patronage of scholars.
Also Read : Diwali dishes for a perfect start of your Diwali evening
Along with all these reasons, the preparation of sweets and famous savoury delicacies is also the reason why Diwali is so special for Indians. Let us discuss some Diwali sweets which have been traditionally made during this festive time!
1) Gughra/ Gujiya:
Without gujiyas, no Indian home can celebrate Diwali! It is very typical to have the entire family gather in one location to cook this dish for the holidays. This delectable meal has the ideal balance of sweet and creamy flavours that will quickly improve your mood.
2) Kajukatli:
Once more, the term "barfi" is used to describe a variety of related desserts. It is frequently used in flat, milk-based desserts that are flavoured with cardamom, rosewater, and nuts like cashews, pistachios, and peanuts. Most often found in Indian sweet shops, pista barfi and kaju katli (a cashew slice) are festive foods that are covered in a thin layer of silver leaf (vark).
3) Mohanthaal:
Gujarat and Rajasthan, two western states, are known for their love of this luscious brown treat. It is prepared using nuts and sweetened gramme flour, which is heated gently until it thickens into a rich fudge before being scented with saffron and cardamom. The freshness from the cardamom and the richness of milk and desi ghee is what makes this sweet extra special!
For someone who loves cooking as much as you do, you can gift them a spices gift combo by Vasant Masala this festive season, which includes genuine spices made with 100% purity. These spices don’t have any added colours or preservatives; hence they are safe and healthy! Use whole spices too add true flavours to your dishes, happy cooking!