I would fight to spend more of the 'cracker budget' on phooljharis and anaars instead of noisy bombs, which my brothers wanted to lay their hands on.

The big day was fast approaching and it was time to make those countless preparations to make sure the celebrations had the perfect tone and hue. After all this was one special occasion.

It's that time of the year when glimmering earthen diyas and candles light up all homes, and every street comes to life. As the day inches closer, mundane chores are forgotten and the focus shifts on shopping for sweets and gifts, and--the most exciting--planning tash party evenings.

Relatives start dropping by, gifts are exchanged and the hullabaloo of the festival begins. But even in this commotion there is a sense of calm, a certain charm and peace that people look forward to every year.

The essence of this five-day long festival lies in the quirky customs that each region follows. Sample this: people in Himachal Pradesh paint little vessels called 'auloo' with red and then exchange them with friends to signify a strengthening of bonds and relationships.

In Maharashtra, women follow a custom called 'Diwalicha Padva' on the third day, where they pray for their husband and get gifts in return. This celebration of togetherness is something similar to the Karvachauth ritual of North India, without the fasting of course.

Different parts of the country worship different goddesses... In Gujarat, people pray to Lakshmi; in Bengal it is associated with Kali. Diwali also marks the beginning of a New Year for Hindus.

In the midst of all this, there is little time to recall why Diwali is celebrated even though the ancient story is imprinted in our minds, taught in schools and repeated on television endlessly.

We all know that on this day Rama returned from his 14-year exile with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after killing the demon Ravana. To welcome him the people of Ayodhya decorated the entire kingdom with earthen diyas, celebrated as Diwali.

But how many times do we even think of Lord Rama and his family before grabbing that sweet or lighting that cracker? We Indians just need a reason to rejoice, and Diwali is perhaps the biggest of them all.

The festivity at my home in Kolkata would begin with Dhanteras, on which day--my grandmother proclaimed--that it was auspicious to buy gold, silver or utensils for the home, because new dhan (wealth) is a sign of good luck.

Each year my mother invested in a different little thing--from a small silver bell for the temple, a gold plated keychain for the cupboard to a set of glasses for the kitchen. All an ode to the Goddess Lakshmi.

I was in Chennai one year, when I noticed a bunch of people worshipping a cow and was baffled till I was told that the cow is considered an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and people pray to the cow one day before Dhanteras. Maharashtrians also follow a similar tradition and call it Vasu Baras.

A day before Diwali, the markets are chock-a-block with people catching up on last minute shopping. But at home Chhoti Diwali was always a low key affair.

Dressed in a new salwar kameez, I would assist my mother in making footprints around the doors of the house, done as a ritual to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.

Using rice paste and vermillion powder, I would try to imitate the perfect feet design made by my mother.

Chhoti Diwali, also known as Naraka Chaturdashi, celebrates the killing of the demon Narakasur. In South India, especially in Chennai, people wake up before sunrise, prepare a paste of oil and kumkum, symbolizing blood and smear it on their body. Maharashtrians rub their body with oil and gram flour powder.

If you happen to be in West Bengal, especially in Kolkata, for Chhoti Diwali be prepared for some major revelry because Bengalis celebrate Kali Puja on this day.

It is one of the biggest pujas after Durga Puja, where Bengalis pray for good health, prosperity and wealth in their usual lively way.

I lived in Kolkata and witnessed Bengali families putting their heart into Kali Puja celebrations--lighting lamps, painting rangolis and having elaborate prayers in the evening followed by bhog, where I have sampled some of the most tempting Bengali dishes.

And then finally the big day arrives. The wait always made me restless. As children, it was certainly the most fun filled day of the year. The mornings would always be spent in cleaning and decorating the house with colourful rangolis made with rice, fresh flowers and grains.

One year, we made a peacock floral motif in the porch, and this was a big hit in the neighbourhood. As the day progressed, we prepared for the Lakshmi Puja in the evening, where we invoke the blessings of god for a prosperous year ahead.

At home, we would perform the puja with the idols of Ganesh and Lakshmi fashioned out of mud and clay. In other parts of India, people usually use bronze or silver idols, which are removed from the puja and bathed until they shine.

Maharashtrians hang an akash-kandil, or lantern, outside their home, bringing in the New Year. After the ritual prayer, a diya is left burning on the altar for the rest of the night--the guiding star for the goddess visits.

But the real fun began after the prayers--it is time to burst crackers. From sparkly anaars to the whizzing rockets, and ear deafening bombs, all kinds of crackers create a buzzing atmosphere.

The sky is filled with an umbrella of colourful embers, making it one of the most spectacular sights of the year.

Courtesy: Travel Plus