Diwali 2022: Decorating your home? Mumbaikars share easy tips to make eco-friendly lanterns, rangoli

Harshada and Abhishek Satam have been making hand-made lanterns with Khan and Paithani saris since 2018. Photo Courtesy: Harshada Koli-Satam

Harshada Koli-Satam and her husband Abhishek love celebrating festivals in a grand way. So much is their love for them that soon after Ganesh Chaturthi they started making lanterns for Diwali at home. The Lalbaug zoologist couple, who have been doing it for over a month now, are doing it while juggling work but not letting their day jobs get in the way of the passionate creative people in them. Making lanterns has been an annual ritual for them since 2018.

She explains, "My husband used to make paper lanterns for himself earlier, and after his friends saw it, they wanted him to make it for them." So, after they got married, Satam gave Abhishek the idea of starting a venture called HarshAbhi Creations, an initiative that caters to homemade festival decorations.

The festival of lights, better known as Diwali, is around the corner and one that involves decorating our homes in more ways than one. While putting up a lantern is one of the signature elements, hand-drawing a rangoli and putting up a toran on one's door. People use a variety of flowers, colours and materials to make all of this. While earlier people used to buy them readymade, more and more people are making them at home over the years. The creations are not only eco-friendly but also ones that can be used for many years to come and Satam's creations are one of them.

Showcasing Maharashtra in handmade lanterns
Unlike other DIY decoration makers, the Mumbai couple have a unique take on the festive element. "In the first year, we started with the Khan fabric lanterns, by using the traditional fabric of our state. Then, we started using the Paithani sari to make the lanterns. Since the sari is a signature royal fabric of Maharashtra, we decided to use the material after people told us regular paper looks plain for the festival."

Four years on, it is as popular as can be. In fact, it has been bought by celebrities like YouTuber Sarang Sathaye, who runs BhaDiPa. This year, Satam's husband being a huge Sachin Tendulkar fan, also gifted their first lantern to the Little Master ahead of the festival. They hope it will feature in the background when he shares his Diwali message.

The couple have only taken 22 orders this year and not more due to time constraints with their day jobs as a teacher and zoologist at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo respectively. Each and every one of the lanterns is different, the 33-year-old says, as they try to bring in different colours and elements to make it one-of-a-kind.

Best out of waste
It is no different for Deepika Shanbhag, another Mumbaikar, who has been practicing eco-friendly DIY decorations for all festivals for over 15 years with the "best out of waste" approach. She explains, "In my house, we like to use whatever is there at home or even recycle old things just so that we are eco-friendly and environment conscious." It is a habit she picked up from her late aunt Sandra D'souza, who taught them early on to take care of the environment, animals, and give back to society. "We put lights in wine bottles to use as lanterns during Diwali and even gift them to people along with hand-painted terracotta diyas. I also put my bangles together to make and hang a toran. We also use dupattas to make decorations and add a pop of colour," adds the 41-year-old.

Unfortunately, Shanbag hasn't been able to make the decorations this year because she has only recently taken up a new job and is swamped with work. However, the Goregaon resident shares that these are some of the ways that people can definitely make their own décor during the festive season instead of opting for other more expensive options, as they can also be reused for years to come.

Being an event planner and animal activist, she reminds that people should be considerate during this time of the year towards pets. Not only does she not burst crackers but also believes other people shouldn't do it during this time of the year. "Instead of buying colours from outside, people can also make their rangolis with rice, lentils and spices. After the festival, they can simply be used to feed animals because it is completely safe." This, she says, is a good option for people and especially pet owners, to use instead of colours, which will have chemicals in them.

Tips to make your own home décor for Diwali

Toran
To make a toran, one can use their bangles or ties by sticking or attaching them together and then hanging them in different shapes.

Lanterns
If you are somebody who doesn't mind giving up on the traditional lanterns, then use any glass bottle at home and put rice lights in them to give it a different feel this Diwali.

Paper decorations
Use waste paper and cut them in different shapes and sizes to make unique designs and combinations and hang around the house.

Rangoli
Instead of powder colours, use flowers to make different designs. One can also opt for fabric rangoli if they aren't good with creating designs. It is readily available and reusable. If one wants to avoid the fuss, they can also use rice and lentils to create designs. After the festival, it can also be fed to the animals safely.

Decorations
Apart from the signature decorations, one can also make use of their cloth pieces such as dupattas to hang around the house in different shapes and sizes. Another DIY option is using a vessel filled with water and placing flowers in it along with the diyas to make a low-cost decoration at home.

Also Read: Diwali 2022: Here's how these organisations in Mumbai are helping people manage dry and edible oil waste