Everything is illuminated

As a kid, Yudhika and her siblings were always giddy with anticipation in the run-up to Diwali. “Brightly tinted nuts, psychedelic syrups and exotic aromas had us all completely mesmerised,” she reminisces. “We always wore new clothes on Diwali – right down to our socks and shoes. We would stay home one year and visit family and friends the next to exchange sweet hampers. Almost every home visited would welcome guests with a sweet delicacy to “sweeten” the next year. And the savouries were just heavenly – crisp pakoras served with a range of chutneys and the best samoosas, of course. It’s almost as though every hostess didn’t want you to go to the next stop without being