Memories of Yesteryear Deepavali

Deepavali's around the corner. Not celebrating since grandma passed away last March. It's odd, because somehow I am so relaxed, unlike previous years where I would go bonkers whenever the festive mood comes up. Ensuring the house is super clean was the biggest task, as I had to do everything myself. Having a big home is really a blessing, but when it comes to cleaning part single handedly, it's a daunting task .

Here's my house cleaning mantra : 

wash the bathroom, wash the kitchen floor, wash the car porch, wash the balcony, rearrange the flower pots, trim the trees, trim the hibiscus shrub, wipe the sofa, wash the sofa cover, clean my room, clean dad's room, wipe the tiled walls of the dining room, wipe the hanging lamp, clean the prayer room, wash and polish the brass items, apply polish to the front door, spray poison to kill the weeds on the pavement floor, change the curtains, wipe the windows, wash the carpet, mop the floor, wash the drain, and the list goes on............

And now,

sharing photos...memories of Deepavali at my humble home  :-)

I love cooking semolina kesari a.k.a traditional South Indian semolina pudding for morning prayers every Deepavali, that rich taste of clarified butter with milk, with added raisins and tons and tons of ghee roasted cashew nuts, it's BLISS !!  :-D

I love making simple coloured rice koolam at the balcony, this was back in 2010

According to my neighbours, especially the old aunties, they claim I make the best murukkus, haha, well, it's my grandma's traditional secret recipe, I don't use ready mix flour, used to prepare the rice flour myself, and I guess now I know why the art of making murukku is slowly vanishing, to be honest, it's a tedious process, especially the dough pressing part, real workout for my arms, haha....

crispy murukkus anyone ?

yeah, I get tanned, thanks to the heat, hahaha....

preparing oil lamps for Deepavali night....

Deepavali eve prayers at home

rice koolam back in 2009

Deepavali morning prayers...blissful experience

a rainy Deepavali night, I think this was back in 2011, didn't stop me from lighting up the oil lamps, hahaha....

my neighbours also claim I make the best achu murukku a.k.a kuih bunga ros, secret recipe taught by my mom, this stuff is super difficult to make !!

when minutes pass by like hours, and getting tanned by the heat...lol...

tadaaa !!  Oddball's Kuih Bunga Ros, before being eaten, hahaha

I am obsessed with deco lights, sometimes my dad makes fun of me, says it looks like Christmas instead, hahaha

white lotus on Deepavali morning

another rice koolam, this was last year...

I love firecrackers !! :-D

yet again, another rice koolam picture, this was in 2011....

My fluffy girl, Snoopy, tired, she loves to play with the firecrackers, crazy girl !!