An extra special Diwali celebration in Australia

A colourful slice of India is unfolding at The Saree Shop located in the western Sydney suburb of Harris Park.

Glittering outfits in vivid shades are spread out in every corner of the showroom, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing all morning and masked avid shoppers are arriving at regular intervals.

And everyone has just one thing on their mind: that perfect Diwali outfit they can wear this weekend to celebrate the festival of lights.

“Diwali is like inviting light into your house. It’s like our new year. It’s like a new beginning,” says Ms Rajan, who was born in Sri Lanka, raised in India and now lives in the northwest Sydney suburb of Carlingford.

“In our culture, we wear red [at] weddings and on any other happy occasions. Red brings out the brightness in a person. It’s very welcoming. That’s why I have chosen this sari.”

Celebrated over five nights, Diwali – also known as Deepavali – is one of the most important festivals in the Indian subcontinent.

According to Ramayana – one of the most significant mythological epics of ancient India – Diwali marks the triumph of good over evil: the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years in exile during which he defeated Ravana, widely considered a symbol of evil.

Many communities all over the world – such as Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists – celebrate Diwali with gusto.

A symbol of light 

But this year the custom feels all the more special for migrant families, who haven’t seen their loved ones for a long period of time. “It feels like a symbol of light at the end of a very dark and challenging two-year period,” Ms Rajan says.

“I haven’t seen my daughter, who works in the Northern Territory, for so long. In fact, I haven’t seen my family in India for two years, which is quite a long time. Generally, we make a trip once a year. So I am very excited about the borders opening and travelling back to India to see them.”