7 Diwali Memories From the 90s That’ll Make You Nostalgic
With Diwali falling close to the weekend, most of us might be in the festive mood for the entire weekend.
Childhood Diwali Memories That Will Make You Instantly Nostalgic
This festival, like a few others, has transformed over the years losing its true essence gradually.
Nonetheless old is gold – the Diwali we had in the 90s cannot match today’s version.
1. Those Eventful Family Get-togethers!
Talk about festive feels! The house would be filled with people – including some early guests too. It would be nothing less than a grand function with everyone around.
Non-stop chatting face-to-face – not over the phones, of course. Now, that’s something that is not so common these days and we miss it!
2. Back-to-back sessions of Rummy
Oh, yeah! Playing rummy throughout the Diwali night along with a huge bunch of family and friends was a thing from the 90s that we would still love to continue.
Also, the Housie game! This was sort of like an after-party i.e., after the burning firecrackers session. Now, some of us still follow this age-old tradition and just wait to see who wins how much and who loses how much – all in the fun spirit, of course.
3. New Clothes and Lakshmi Pooja
Diwali without Lakshmi pooja and new clothes seem incomplete. The childhood memories of your parents going for Diwali shopping for new clothes way before the festival is simply exciting.
And, why not, this was our opportunity to get that very dress we had been eyeing on.
Now, Diwali starts in the night with all the family members gathered to pray and appease the goddess Lakshmi, and that is where the celebrations kick start from.
4. Diwali Gifts from Relatives and Friends
Gifts on Diwali is one of those traditions that is still followed joyfully. And, the special Diwali gifts from friends, family, and even the neighbors bring us together.
Why even the time is taken to pick gifts for others personally also is a very thoughtful gesture indeed. So, exchanging of gifts happens today too, but it sure misses the personal touch in today’s fast-paced world.
5. Eagerly waiting for the Diwali Night to Burn Crackers
Everything else took a backseat as the night began right after the pooja because that’s when the actual fun started – the crackers burning time!
In fact, in those times, people would start bursting crackers even a couple of days before Diwali. The Diwali fever would set in days ahead and lasted quite a while – it was never a one-day festival!
But, given the increasing pollution these days, many people are becoming environment-friendly and are promoting the same. So, we do see a decrease in the number of firecrackers burnt, but it’s something we shall miss too!
6. Decorating the House with Rangolis and Diyas
Festivities and celebrations would definitely reflect in the way we decorate our houses. And, during Diwali, it’s just too obvious.
Right from cleaning every corner of the house or shops to painting it in order to prepare for the coming festival, it would start well in advance.
And then, decking up the entire house with flowers, rangolis, and traditional earthen diyas – oh what a joyous experience it was.
Now, due to limited time, people have switched to led lightings and other artificial decorations. Although they look stunning, they can never replace the traditional process.
7. Gobbling Sweets n Savouries
While the houses are being decked up, there would be this irresistible aroma of sweets and savories looming in the air for days.
It would be one of the many things that would kick-start the excitement in us. And, not just our house, the sweets would be just about everywhere for the taking. Well, the best time for all the sweet-teeth indeed!
Those are some of the things that happened in Diwali during the 90s. Some of them have nearly disappeared, and some still continue. But, they were simply perfect back then and can’t be replicated.