Here’s how to be the ultimate patakha with the 4 essential elements to a perfect Diwali celebration!
Anaar – The party on everyone’s mind
An anaar slowly builds to a dazzling display of light that lights up the whole place. That’s how a good party should be! You don’t want to walk into a noisy party.
Switch off your tube light the moment the first guest rings your bell. Put fairy lights on the walls, some diyas on the window ledge and some tealights in a steel bowl with a few marigolds. Make a little rangoli at the front of the door. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it looks absolutely lovely!
Just throw all your cushions on the floor. No one’s going to be in the mood to be polite in chairs and it’ll be a rather dull party. You can set up a photo booth by just hanging a dupatta round a corner, sticking two brass diyas and a bowl of petals. By 8 pm, your friends will be fighting over the photos!
Play one game. Teen Patti with chocolate coins is always a guaranteed winner. Everyone will be in fits of laughter after two glasses of thandai! It’s finally time to really
blow the place up. Play outside with a bucket of water nearby and have your sensible friend hold the matches.
Chakri – All you can wear
A chakri is all about spinning. Make sure you dress the part! You’ll be walking, hugging, twirling, touching feet and sitting cross-legged for hours.
Wear a colour that you feel confident in. Emerald makes you feel powerful, wine makes you feel mysterious, mustard makes you feel like a winner and peacock blue makes you feel like you know you look fabulous. All of those will definitely shine in the light of your diyas, whereas pastels would never. If you’re wearing a saree, then try and keep your energy in your blouse as that’s what’s going to be complimented first. If you’re wearing a lehenga, then do a quick spin at home to make sure you can actually twirl in it. Otherwise, it’s just going to be a complete waste of money. If you’re wearing a sharara or a rich kurta, then pair it with a bold dupatta. If you’re planning on eating a lot of chaat, this is just apt.
Pick one statement piece of jewellery. Big jhumkas with a plain neckline or a chunky choker and plain earrings. Stack your bangles for a bit of extra sparkle. Do your hair with some small flowers or a low bun with a gajra. Keep your lipstick in a potli. Wear juttis. Heels are fine, but they might just let you down!
Phuljhadi – Your go-to makeup
Nothing is more beautiful than a phuljhadi and nothing is messier than glitter. They go absolutely perfectly together!
Apply a little concealer or primer to your lids. Apply a warm matte eyeshadow (rust, brown or soft burgundy) in the crease.
Never sprinkle your glitter! Apply a little eyelid glue in the middle of your lid and gently pat the glitter on with a flat brush or your ring finger. If you use a brush it will smudge into your cheeks. You want to pat it on so it stays where you want it. Gold and champagne will flatter virtually every skin tone in warm light. Rose gold is a very soft girl’s choice. For a bit of a dramatic look, apply a dark green glitter over your black liner and you’ll have heads turning!
Apply your eye makeup first so any fallout can be easily wiped away. Keep your lips very simple with a nude or a soft berry. Buy eye glitter. Craft glitter would be used in a school project. Remove all the glitter before you go to bed with an oil-based remover.
Sutli Bomb – The perfect Diwali bites
A sutli bomb is small, noisy and very short-lived. Perfect for the party snack! You want to eat them quickly and easily with one hand whilst you’re holding a drink.
Mini samosas with the mint/tamarind chutney are to be eaten first. Paneer tikka skewers are very simple, really. Just marinate the night before and then cook when your guests turn up. Sev puri/dahi puri in little cups so no one has chaat on their lehenga. For the desserts, we’re going to have kaju katli, besan ladoo and rose pistachio barfi all on the same plate. The gulab jamuns are to be served warm in little bowls with a touch of silver varq. Make sure you have your masala chai in the kulhads. A pomegranate, lime and mint mocktail to mix up.
Most things can be prepped so you’re not actually stuck in the kitchen at your own party! Spread the snacks out over a couple of tables. Label anything that has nuts in it. Sprinkle some marigold petals around the plates and it’ll look as though you’ve been preparing everything for ages!
Final Tip!
Make sure all your diyas are lit, wear what makes you feel invincible and let your friends see you laughing with glitter all over your eyelids. Make sure your crackers are safe, water is close by and the glitter isn’t in your chutney!