There is something bittersweet about watching Diwali unfold back home through a phone screen.
Scrolling through Instagram and watching your hometown light up for Diwali. Video-calling your family as Diwali safai begins, with everyone busy cleaning, sorting decorations and preparing the house for the festival. Remembering conversations about which neighbourhoods to visit, whose home to go to first and where the best festive lights would be.
And then there are the memories of walking down streets glowing with lights, the unmistakable aroma of ghee-laden laddoos and Diwali dinner shared with family, the sight of shops lined with sweets and the excitementof knowing that the celebrations are only just beginning.
When you move to a new country, these little things can suddenly mean so much more.
Your first Diwali in New Zealand might bring excitement about celebrating in a new home, but it can also make you realise just how much you miss the familiar traditions and people you grew up celebrating with.
Being away from home does not mean leaving your traditions behind. With a little planning, a connection to your community and a willingness to embrace something new, you can make your first Diwali in Aotearoa meaningful in its own way.
Here's how to bring some of that familiar festive feeling into your new home.
For some, it begins with cleaning and decorating the house. For others, it isbuying a new outfit, preparing a favourite dish or arranging a puja.
Traditional diyas, electric lights, rangoli colours and festive decorations canhelp recreate the familiar Diwali atmosphere. Indian grocery stores and specialist retailers are good places to start looking for festive essentials.
Depending on where you live, you may also find seasonal displays and products at local markets and shopping centres.
If you have recently arrived, it is worth making a list of what you need before the festival. Some items may be less readily available outside larger centres.
You can also make your own decorations using materials available locally, including items from New Zealand's
two-dollar shops.
And if you find yourself missing the way your home looked during Diwali, recreating even one familiar corner can be comforting.
Whether it is laddoo, barfi, kaju katli or gulab jamun, the joy of exchanging sweets between households and opening a fresh box of treats is unmatched.
In New Zealand, Indian sweet shops, grocery stores and local caterers can be good places to look for familiar favourites.
Some businesses offer festive boxes and special Diwali menus.
If you cannot find a particular sweet, consider making it at home or askingfamily members to share a recipe. Cooking a dish that reminds you of home can be a comforting way to mark the occasion.
Food can also be a way to build connections in your new home. Share sweets with neighbours, invite friends for dinner or take a homemade treat to work or university. You might be surprised by how a small gesture canstart a conversation and help you feel more connected to the people around you.
If you are celebrating with people from different cultural backgrounds, you could make the occasion a shared experience by explaining the significance of the food and inviting them to join in.
One of the biggest adjustments when celebrating Diwali in a new country is getting used to a different sense of community.
You might be accustomed to relatives dropping by, friends calling to make plans at the last minute or entire neighbourhoods coming alive with decorations. In New Zealand, you may need to make those connections more deliberately.
Indian cultural associations, temples and community organisations across New Zealand often organise Diwali events, with activities that may include cultural performances, music, dance, food stalls and opportunities to meet other families.
Attending one of these events can offer a taste of the festive atmosphere. You may hear familiar music, see traditional outfits, find your favourite food and meet people who understand what it feels like to celebrate a festival far from family.
Check announcements from local community organisations, councils and cultural groups for dates, venues, ticket requirements and registration details. Some celebrations are free, while others may require tickets or advance registration.
You do not need to know anyone before attending. Go with a friend, flatmate or colleague, or use the opportunity to meet people if you are still building your social circle.
For international students and people who have recently moved to New Zealand for work, these gatherings can be particularly valuable.
Video calls help. You can talk with family as they prepare for Diwali, join conversations about which relatives to visit and which neighbourhoods have the best lights, even if you cannot be there in person.
But a screen cannot quite replace being there.
If the distance feels particularly difficult this year, permit yourself to miss home. You do not have to turn every moment into a celebration or pretend that being away from family is easy.
Instead, find small ways to feel connected.
Perhaps it is lighting diyas at home, dressing up for the evening or preparing a meal that reminds you of childhood celebrations.