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  Mishkat Varma:
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  Nia Sharma:
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  Paridhi Sharma:
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  Mohit Malik
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  Aditya Redij
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  Ravi Dubey:
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  Surbhi Jyoti:

Mishkat Varma: Diwali for me has always been with my family and friends. I belong to a Punjabi family and we generally celebrate all festivals visiting my relative’s place be it Diwali, Christmas or birthday parties. We don’t really believe in elaborate Poojas and rituals but we do have a small pooja at home to seek blessings from God. Unlike all Diwalis when I am usually free, this year I want to keep myself busy with work. Strangely, I have always wanted to work on these special occasions. So, this year my Diwali will be spent working from 9 am to 9 pm and then will take my parents out for dinner, or I would want to go to my bua’s house for their card party. As a kid I used to burst crackers but now I am completely against it, so please don’t burst crackers. The idea of polluting the environment for me is absolutely unacceptable and I urge all my fans to have a safe and a noise free Diwali.
 
Nia Sharma: I remember as kids, my brother and I used to burst a lot of crackers which was quite fun. But now we just do a Pooja at home and then for shagun, light a packet of rockets and Phooljhadis. I always make sure on Diwali I am with my family members. This is my first Diwali in Mumbai and I am excited that my mother and brother will be joining me for it and I am keen on doing something special for them. Talking of my childhood I remember, this incident when I wore a frock for Diwali Pooja and while bursting crackers the frock caught fire. My brother ran to save me and put out the fire by his bare hands, in the process burning his own hands. So I would urge my fans to learn from my past experience and ensure the kids are dressed appropriately and have a safe Diwali.
 
Paridhi Sharma: For me a great Diwali means spending time with family and friends, eating loads of sweets and making rangoli. In a nutshell, it’s about spending some quality time with loved ones. This year also I plan to have the routine celebrations at home, the only difference being that after so long I will finally get to spend many days at a stretch with my family. I love to draw rangoli and I have a record of making a 10 by 10 square feet size rangoli which became the talk of the event where it was made. Diwali is a festival of celebrations and happiness, but let us not be so selfish that we forget the repercussions of bursting crackers on the environment. Nature has given us a lot and if we cannot return it, we should at least maintain it. Hope everybody has a safe Diwali!      
 
Mohit Malik: Diwali is my favourite festival and if I am in Mumbai, Diwali for me starts with cleaning the house, followed by a Laxmi Pooja in the evening and finally meeting friends and having a blast with them. For me this festival is just another reason to spend more time with friends and family. Back home in Delhi, Diwali used to always be about crackers. I come from a joint family where all cousins, that is ten of us used to get together to have loads of fun. This year I am planning a day trip to Delhi to surprise my parents.
 
Aditya Redij: I have been celebrating Diwali in completely different ways every year. I moved to Mumbai around seven years back and since then this city has become my home. Every year Diwali brings in good news for me and this year it’s going to be the same with me spending time with family. My parents will be visiting me from Kolhapur after the main pooja of Diwali. So basically, this festival for me is purely about being with my loved ones.
One childhood memory I will probably never forget is when I burnt myself. I was wearing a silk kurta and there was a diya kept behind me and the kurta caught fire. Thankfully my dad quickly put a blanket around me to douse the fire but I almost had a brush with death. So I would like to request my fans to have fun but always be careful. May everyone get what they desire this Diwali!

Ravi Dubey: For the past many years I have been going to Delhi to celebrate Diwali. This is my first Diwali post marriage, so Sargun and I will either celebrate it in Chandigarh at my in-laws place where my parents would drop by or we would celebrate it in Delhi at my parent’s place where my in-laws would come. I don’t burst crackers on Diwali and haven’t indulged in them for the last 14 years. Diwali reminds me of ‘Moong ki dal ka halwa’ that my mother makes and Kaju Katli. The best part about Diwali was that it used to be my dad’s day off and we would all enjoy and have fun. I enjoy card parties, though it’s mostly only for fun and not for stakes. I remember playing teen patti and flash with small bits of paper as currency, though I just learnt how to play it properly a couple of years back. I wish everyone has a great Diwali! Avoid bursting crackers and stay safe.
 
Surbhi Jyoti: Every year on Diwali I treat myself to a nice Indian attire. I enjoy cleaning the house, decorating it and making rangoli. For me Diwali is the most beautiful festival with the entire city lit and scintillating. Though I think this light should be of Diyas and not over done with electrical lights. From the past 6-7 years my brother and I have not burst any crackers. I remember the first Diwali my brother and I vowed we will stop bursting crackers, it was indeed a tough decision. My brother is five years younger to me but sometimes I feel he is more sensible than I am because it was his decision and determination that actually made me stick to this promise.



- Dharmishtha Dagia