Diwali has always been about more than diyas (lamps) and celebration. It is the glow of familiar places, the warmth of gathering, and the little traditions that somehow travel with us wherever we go. This summer in India, I found that feeling everywhere—from the tree-lined streets of Chandigarh and the sunrise and sunset over Sukhna Lake to the old-world grandeur of Patiala, where illuminated courtyards and layers of history seemed to hold stories of their own.
Perhaps that is what makes Diwali feel so timeless. Light has a way of connecting past and present, places near and far. Photographs do much the same—holding onto a sunrise shared with someone we love, a water lily resting quietly on a pond, or the last golden light of a fading day. And as November brings its own glow to Blackhawk, from quiet sunrises to a season of togetherness and gratitude, those memories feel a little closer—a reminder that home is not always one place, but all the places, people and traditions we carry with us.
By Sonia Lamba, Resident since 2015