The kitchen warmed with the scent of cardamom, while my small hand hovered over a plate of freshly rolled ladoos. Snow blanketed the streets, but inside, our home shimmered with warm, bright colors. I sat cross-legged beside my mum as she lit a clay diya. The golden flame flickered softly, and she whispered, “Happy Diwali!”. I leaned closer, mesmerized, feeling like I was holding a piece of a faraway world. That moment of my childhood became my window into the India that we once called home.
Growing up in Canada, there weren’t Hindu festivals in their traditional form: no bustling streets with Garba dancers, fireworks lighting up the skies of Gujarat, or temple bells at dawn. Yet at home, mum brought these celebrations to life by transforming our living space into little India. It was in these moments that I learned the essence of festivals isn’t in the crowd or grandeur, instead it’s in the devotion and joy with which we celebrated.
Holi brought splashes of color to the backyard, laughter echoing as we smeared gulal on each other. Ganesh Utsav filled our home with chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya!” Janmashtami nights glowed with bhajans, dances, and the sweetness of makhan offered to Bhagwan Shri Krishna. Beyond the fun, my parents ensured we understood the deeper meaning and the values behind every ritual. They taught me that each Diwali diya symbolized light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Annakut, the “mountain of food,” celebrated the abundance of Mother Nature - a reminder that true wealth lies not in what we receive, but in what we give.
Connection to my culture deepened through the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Saskatoon, Canada. Surrounded by radiant murtis and a devoted community, beyond a place of worship, it became a living bridge to my heritage. Every festival here is filled with devotion and seva: decorating, cooking, and singing. It’s where I learned to live the values my mum taught me, inspired by the guidance of my gurus, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.
In the glow of diyas, the splash of colors, and the quiet acts of devotion, I’ve come to understand that celebrating Hindu festivals in North America isn’t about recreating India. Rather, it’s about carrying India and God within us. No matter where we live, pride, connection, and belonging are the heartbeat of who we are.
- Kritika Parmar
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
