Yami Gautam returns home to Chandigarh to celebrate Diwali with family and little Vedavid: 'My son loves watching the city adorned with lights...'

Yami Gautam on Diwali

As Diwali draws near, Yami Gautam is heading back to her roots in Chandigarh, where she grew up, to celebrate the festival with her loved ones.

For Yami, the magic of Diwali isn’t just about the day itself—it begins much earlier, with the hustle and bustle of preparations that make the season feel so special.

“The whole vibe is warm and filled with excitement,” she shares with Hindustan Times, speaking of everything from decluttering the home to picking out gifts and new kitchenware. “Right from cleaning the house, discarding what you don't need, getting new home decor, kitchen utilities and buying gifts…”

It’s a time of year she holds close to her heart—and now, as a mother, she’s looking forward to passing down the family’s festive traditions to her little son, Vedavid.

“Family tradition involves lighting diyas on Dhanteras, puja on Chhoti Diwali and making rangoli with soaked rice paste, drawing Ma Lakshmi's feet on the main day,” she says, remembering the beautiful rituals she saw as a child. “It was fascinating watching my mom making them without stencils and we would be careful not to spoil it while playing around.”

Though still very young, Vedavid is already soaking in the sights and sounds of the season. “Vedavid is really young but loves watching the city adorned with lights, and fireworks in the sky gets him excited,” she smiles. “We make 'mitti ke ghar' that are placed in the puja room and offer sweets in the mandir. Vedavid is always part of the puja and he tries his best to chip in when we are cleaning the house.”

Yami and husband Aditya Dhar are both deeply rooted in tradition, and she says keeping these customs alive is important to them. “Aditya and I are very similar in our values and we like to maintain certain traditions, including celebrating Diwali and that's something we wish to continue.”

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When it comes to decorating, she loves lighting diyas with mustard oil. “It represents warmth and blessings,” she says. “I would always insist on being given the duty of placing diyas in all the rooms.”

Her sweet tooth makes Diwali even more joyful. “I love gulab jamun and kaju katli but I also love gurpara and shakkarpara, matri, mathi, which is part of shagun.”

With five releases on the horizon, Yami feels grateful. “I feel a certain sense of responsibility… and I will always do my best to live up to their expectations.”