When memories of home beckon Indians abroad, they are usually festive memories. And when you return from an adopted country to your own, the special Diwali feeling mingles with memories of celebrations from childhood to make the festival of lights truly spectacular.
But just what are those memories that come rushing back for NRIs who are now back home?
Almost everyone says his or her early memories of Diwali revolve around preparations: like refurbishing their homes and preparing sweets in anticipation of Diwali.
For Vinty Doshi, a homemaker who was born in the US but grew up in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, the special Diwali menu at home included Penthewali Kachori and Lapsi, a sweet Halwa made of daliya (broken wheat).
Almost everyone, including 36-year-old Param Singh, who recently relocated from the Bay Area, remembers the fancy, new Diwali outfits they bought or were gifted.
For the men who will be boys, firecrackers and being allowed to play outside after dark were the dominant memories of childhood Diwalis.
It was the Diwali Melas that were special for information technology professionals Ritu and Chetan Uberoi. Both their fathers were in the Indian Army and the Army Mela -- with food, lots of goodies to buy and rides -- was a high point of the season.
In fact, an Army Mela -- while they were both students at the Delhi College of Engineering was one Ritu and Chetan's initial dates.
Everyone agrees that celebrating Diwali in India is very different from celebrating it abroad. But there are marked differences between how people celebrate Diwali in the US based on whether they have children or not, whether there is a sizeable population of Indians where they lived and how long it has been since they returned to India.
Almost everyone says their level of celebration increased when they had children.
Sadhana Kaul was a lawyer in Manhattan before relocating to India more then 10 years ago. She "hardly remembers doing anything for Diwali in the US."
Vinty says in India,
However, for Chetan -- who lived in Fremont, California, which has a sizable Indian population -- Diwali in America was time to party, just like it is in India. They had puja at home, then all the friends met at someone's place to light firecrackers they had saved up from July 4.
With the Indian community gaining prominence in North America, Indians there are celebrating Diwali with more pomp and confidence then they ever have. Anjali Nayar, a homemaker who grew up in Toronto and now lives in Gurgaon, remembers her parents who live in Toronto -- doing more for Diwali in recent years then they did when she was growing up.
In a "conscious effort to instil traditions" and get their grandchildren interested in Diwali, Anjali's parents gave her kids gifts at Diwali; Christmas was not celebrated.
Anjali feels that "with so many mithai shops and Indians" in Canada now, her parents will be celebrating Diwali with just as much energy as she will be in India.
But, as Ritu adds, the major difference is that Diwali in the US is still just not an "all-embracing experience."
Most NRIs who have returned myself included -- note that it's no longer your mother's Diwali. We've started receiving gifts and there's nary a box of mithai in the bunch.
Almost everyone I speak to comments on how commercial Diwali has become. "There are electric lights and such a huge variety of candles and diyas available now," points out Vipul. Chetan feels Diwali has become "shopping-centric". Sadhana also feels that there is "much more show and spending now. It's too flashy and too much display of wealth."
Param's family have made some unique resolutions. "All the relatives have said no to exchanging gifts to make life simple, and the kids to save the environment from pollution have said no to crackers."
