A Celebration on the side

Diwali is a celebration which has changed throughout my life. Nestled in autumn and close to Halloween, half-term and Fireworks Night, the season is one of my favourite times of year. When I was younger, we went to both of my grandparents' houses on the day to visit. We always went to my maternal grandparents Papa and Mummiji second, so we could sit, eat, watch television and relax. In recent years, Jack, my partner and me would go to my parents for a Diwali meal. During the November Covid lockdown of 2020, I decided to make my own Diwali meal for Jack and me, samosas following my mum's handwritten recipe, Chetna Makan's chicken curry recipe with basmati rice, naans, green coriander yoghurt and an order of an assortment of Indian sweets delivered by post. I'm not really in the kitchen for big events in my family, so it was nice to quietly celebrate and cook the meal in my own kitchen. This year I'll be doing a celebration on side of the big day at my parents with Jack and our toddler Theo, a quieter day but a chance for me to try some things out!

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Reena Makwana is an Illustration, embroider artist. You can find her on her website, or on instagram as @reena.makwana

Diwali this year will be 29 October 2024 - 3 November 2024