D I WA L I
Diwali, we distribute gifts and sweets to
friends and neighbors, Indian and nonIndian alike. It’s almost like Christmas
time.” Last year, she was one of the
organizers of a community-wide
celebration held at the Bauer
Community Center in Taylor Park
on the morning of Diwali. She says,
“We had a great turnout; some of the
younger kids even skipped school to
come. It was so successful that we’re
doing it again this year, Sunday,
October 30. All Indians celebrate
Diwali, whether or not they are Hindu.”
For Mallika Malhotra, born in New
York, Diwali is more a family than a
community celebration. She, her
husband, and their three sons create
an altar with flowers, pictures of
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Hindu gods and a tray of candles in
their home. They light the candles and
say a prayer, asking the gods Ganesha,
Krishna, Laxmi and Vishnu for blessings in the coming year. Everyone
wears traditional Indian clothes
and eats Indian foods.
Malhotra adds, “Since Diwali is a
five-day celebration, it almost always
includes a weekend. That’s when we
do a multi-generational celebration
and gift exchange. For us, the holiday
is a way to celebrate the bonds we
have as a family.”
Her family, like many in the Indian
community, was attracted to MSH by
a combination of factors: “We loved
the top-rated schools, the vibrant
downtown, and the easy access to ➤
MILLBURN • SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE FALL 2016
COURTESY OF MALLIKA MALHOTRA
TRADITIONS Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. Lights signify goodness in Hinduism and during Diwali, homes are filled with clay lamps, flower and
heart-shaped floating candles, rod-shaped candles and electric lights to ward off darkness and promote goodness and knowledge.