Diwali is one of the most significant and important Hindu festival celebrated in India. Spread over five days, one starts preparing for almost one month. Diwali always falls on the new moon night in the Hindu month of Kartik. It’s a dark night and people light rows of oil lamps and burn fire crackers to illuminate their homes. Diwali symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

The Diwali room is painted black with silver and gold motifs. the mirrored ceiling with hand cut mirror work is inspired by the Mughal and Rajput mirror palaces called “sheesh mahals”. The light from the candles illuminates the room and through the reflection in the countless mirrors and effect of light is exaggerated creating a warm, cozy, dramatic and magical space.  

In Jaipur, on the night of Diwali, people wear black and gold outfits. At the Krishna temple of Nathdwara, my main inspiration of creating “Laalee”, the celebrations exceedingly, conspicuously reach another level of aesthetic beauty. A pavilion with mirrors and coloured glass is erected and an idol of baby Krishna is seated amidst oil lamps creating an illusion of a thousand stars in the sky.

The craft of mirror work is called “Theekri” where delicate convex mirror are cut into different shapes and carefully pasted one by one on the ceiling, walls and niches. It’s a rare craft and there are very few craftsmen who still continue to uphold this age-old craft passed on from father to son. These indigenous crafts and surface decoration are an integral part of our Indian culture and heritage.