Thiruvananthapuram gears up for Deepavali with handmade lanterns, sweets, and hampers

‘Tis the season of festivities and feasts. And Thiruvananthapuram is getting decked up for Deepavali, the festival of lights. Sweets in myriad flavours, traditional and innovative, savouries infused with aromatic spices, and cakes with an Indian twist are just some of the eats made by enterprising home cooks. Meanwhile to usher in the season’s colours, there are craftspersons handcrafting lanterns, windspinners and diya holders.

MetroPlus speaks to some of the women who are creating the colours and flavours of Deepavali 2024.

Let there be light

Handcrafted windspinners made by Saraswathi Vasudevan. 
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Saraswathi Vasudevan’s nimble fingers can create wonders with needle and thread. This time, she and her crochet buddies decided to make lanterns, windcatchers, diya holders and so on for Deepavali.

Saraswathi Vasudevan.
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“Made with brightly-coloured threads, the cylindrical lanterns are made to order. It can be customised to any length. The standard ones are about six inches in height and four inches in diameter. It is made to hold electric candles and are safe to handle,” says Saraswathi, who runs Tejas, an outlet for accessories and handmade products at Chalakkuzhi Lane.

Handcrafted lanterns.
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The windspinners, about 22 inches long, can be hung on doorways or on windows and when they catch the wind, they spin. “These can also be customised,” she adds.

Saraswathi has also got tea candle holders to add a dash of colour to your home. Prices start from ₹180 for the windspinners, ₹300 for the lanterns and ₹200 for the candle holders.

The last date to place orders is October 26. (contact: 9447001722)

Handcrafted diya holders made by Vineetha Nair. 
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Vineetha Nair’s painted diya holders, embellished with mirrors, are meant to give a festive touch to your decor. “Usually, I crochet candle holders. This time, I decided to also paint diya holders and decorate them. The material used is not inflammable,” says Vineetha, a former art teacher who runs Sarga Creative Space.

Crochet diya holders made by Vineetha Nair. 
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She says the work on the diya holders have been inspired by Lippan art, a traditional art of Kutch that uses clay and mirror to decorate walls. “These diya holders are ideal as gifts and also to bring in the glow of the festival into your homes. (contact: 7907521914)

Resin diyas made by Indulekha KR.
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Indulekha KR’s lotus-shaped candle holders made of resin come in lovely colours of the season. These are made to order and cost ₹360 each. (contact: 8281434377)

Hampers galore

Fancy an Alia Bhatt milk cake jar! Then go for Priya Kolassery’s hamper, which will be delivered on October 30. It has an interesting mix of traditional eats and some interesting new ones made of chocolates, carrots and dates.

Priya Kolassery
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The hamper, which costs ₹1,500, has unniyappam, munthirikkothu, murukku, chocolate bar, jumbo cookie, badushah, mini chocolate dream cake, maaladdu, Alia Bhatt milk cake jar, milk peda and carrot and chocolate cake.

Badushah is one of the sweets in Priya Kolassery’s hamper with homemade delicacies.
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And the Alia Bhatt milk cake jar? “Oh, that is nothing but our tres leches cake. Ever since she mentioned in an interview how much she enjoyed having it in London, the dessert has been trending on social media.”

Priya says that on the day of Deepavali (October 31), she will have mutton curry and duck curry for dinner. (contact 8138965570).

Deepavali hampers made by Parvathy Ravikumar.
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If shots are you way of ushering in the spirit of Deepavali, home cook Parvathy Ravikumar has a hamper with sitaphal sandesh cake shots. In addition, there is creamy coconut, gulkhand pudding, rasmalai cookies, kesari and kaju katli truffle pops, all for ₹1,000. The hampers will be available for delivery on October 29, 30 and 31. (Whatsapp her on 8281783917).

Ghee Mysore Pak is one of the highlights of Sankari Manikandan’s premium hamper.
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Sankari Manikandan has two kinds of hampers for the festival. One has laddu, jalebi, badushah, mysore pak, wheat halwa and spicy mixture (₹299); the premium sweet box contains ghee mysore pak, milk sweet, kaju katli, baklava, dates laddu, mothichoor laddu, halwa, jalebi, badushah and mixture (₹599). Orders have to be placed by October 26 and the boxes will be delivered on October 28 and 29. Contact: 7806965470

Mohanthaal is one of the sweets in the hamper of Gujarati delicacies made by Pooja Shah for Deepavali in Thiruvananthapuram. 
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Pooja Shah is cooking platters of Gujarati sweets such as pedas, motichoor laddu, kachoris, different kinds of chaats and more. Orders will be accepted till October 26 and delivery will be on October 28 and 29. (contact: 9895595054)

Popular culinary instructor Marina Charles has a hamper that has homemade goodies such as rosemilk cake, rasmalai cake, gulab jamun cheesecake, Karachi biscuits and custard cookies. “The hamper can be customised. You can choose what you want in the hamper and the price depends on that. The standard hamper with two types of cakes, cheesecake and cookies cost ₹1,400,” says Marina.

Rose milk cake
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Orders will be accepted till October 28 and the hampers will be delivered on October 30 and 31. Contact: 9379398865