Celebrated in October or November, Diwali (Dīvali, Dīpāwali, or Deepavali) often happens close to Día de los Muertos, a celebration I cherish for the safe space it creates to process grief. As a result, this time of year frequently brings up conversations with friends who celebrate Diwali about the similarities between the two holidays. One element that stands out is how food fosters social connections in our different cultures.
During Diwali, people come together to celebrate the triumph of good over evil and honour the light we carry within. The festival varies in meaning among Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhi. Día de los Muertos combines Aztec traditions with All Souls’ Day, a holiday Spanish colonizers imposed in Anáhuac (a region which now encompasses Mexico) at the start of the 16th century. The celebration enables us to remember and reconnect with the realm of the dead through practices like the preparation of an altar, which includes food gifts for deceased loved ones.
When we have the opportunity or for special occasions, my family likes to discover new restaurants together. Recently, my mother and I went to an Indian restaurant, where we had gulab jamuns for dessert. As soon as she took the first bite, my mother’s eyes sparkled joyfully, her sweet tooth pleased with the explosion of flavours.
A classic delicacy in many South Asian cultures, gulab jamuns are balls of fried dough soaked in a syrup made with cardamon, rose water, and saffron. In honour of Diwali, it is customary to prepare sweet treats like gulab jamuns and give them to people in your community. Similarly, every year for Día de los Muertos, my family bakes traditional, sugary, skull-shaped breads called panes de muerto that we share with friends and relatives — both deceased and alive.
