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| 'This is my first Diwali away from home' | 'This is my first Diwali away from home' |
| (4 months later) | |
| The friends plan to throw a Diwali party with friends from a range of different cultures | The friends plan to throw a Diwali party with friends from a range of different cultures |
| Around the world, people are celebrating Diwali - or, in some cases, have brought the celebrations around the world with them. | Around the world, people are celebrating Diwali - or, in some cases, have brought the celebrations around the world with them. |
| The BBC meets three students who are away from home for the first time, but are seeking to replicate the festival of lights with their new friends. | The BBC meets three students who are away from home for the first time, but are seeking to replicate the festival of lights with their new friends. |
| 'Home is not a place; it is a feeling' | 'Home is not a place; it is a feeling' |
| Hardi is studying in Nottingham | Hardi is studying in Nottingham |
| Hardi Goradia, 26, is originally from Mumbai, in India. | Hardi Goradia, 26, is originally from Mumbai, in India. |
| She arrived in Nottingham this term to study at Nottingham Trent University. | She arrived in Nottingham this term to study at Nottingham Trent University. |
| She will stay in touch with her family via video calls | She will stay in touch with her family via video calls |
| "Diwali is about the little things," she said. | "Diwali is about the little things," she said. |
| "Like spending more time with the family, spending time with grandparents. | "Like spending more time with the family, spending time with grandparents. |
| "So this year, Diwali is a lot different to what it usually is, but my parents have been really generous and they've sent me lots of stuff from back home. | "So this year, Diwali is a lot different to what it usually is, but my parents have been really generous and they've sent me lots of stuff from back home. |
| "I'm missing family, missing parents and grandparents. | "I'm missing family, missing parents and grandparents. |
| "We are going to have our parents on video-call, so we will link up with them. | "We are going to have our parents on video-call, so we will link up with them. |
| "Now it just feels like home is not a place; it is a feeling." | "Now it just feels like home is not a place; it is a feeling." |
| Hardi says home is not a place, but a feeling | Hardi says home is not a place, but a feeling |
| Hardi said she enjoyed traditional Gujarati dishes such as fafda - a savoury dish - and plans to introduce them to the friends she has made in England. | Hardi said she enjoyed traditional Gujarati dishes such as fafda - a savoury dish - and plans to introduce them to the friends she has made in England. |
| "This year we will have a Diwali party at a friend's house," she said. | "This year we will have a Diwali party at a friend's house," she said. |
| "We are going to dress up [in traditional clothes]. | "We are going to dress up [in traditional clothes]. |
| "And we have a lot of friends from different backgrounds who want to know about Diwali. | "And we have a lot of friends from different backgrounds who want to know about Diwali. |
| "So they are going to come along, get dressed up as well, so it's going to be a vibe, it's going to be great. | "So they are going to come along, get dressed up as well, so it's going to be a vibe, it's going to be great. |
| "For us to show our culture to them, [it] just makes me feel so proud. | "For us to show our culture to them, [it] just makes me feel so proud. |
| "We love showing off our clothes and it is just an exchange of culture. | "We love showing off our clothes and it is just an exchange of culture. |
| "As kids we were told that Diwali is one of the biggest events we celebrate as a family and that is what I am looking forward to this year as well, because these guys are my new family." | "As kids we were told that Diwali is one of the biggest events we celebrate as a family and that is what I am looking forward to this year as well, because these guys are my new family." |
| 'It's a chance to fully show the Indian in you' | 'It's a chance to fully show the Indian in you' |
| Viraj says he will miss his family but is looking forward to celebrating with his friends | Viraj says he will miss his family but is looking forward to celebrating with his friends |
| Viraj Soni, 26, said the first thing he would do were he at home would be to wake up and give his parents a hug. | Viraj Soni, 26, said the first thing he would do were he at home would be to wake up and give his parents a hug. |
| "Diwali is family for me," said Viraj, 26, also from Mumbai and studying in Nottingham. | "Diwali is family for me," said Viraj, 26, also from Mumbai and studying in Nottingham. |
| "It is an opportunity to meet family members whom we haven't seen for a whole year. | "It is an opportunity to meet family members whom we haven't seen for a whole year. |
| "It's actually the biggest festival in India, so we bring sweets, we bring foods. | "It's actually the biggest festival in India, so we bring sweets, we bring foods. |
| "We all bring stuff from our houses and then we eat and celebrate it together." | "We all bring stuff from our houses and then we eat and celebrate it together." |
| Back in Mumbai, the friends say their homes are draped in lights and they enjoy food with families | Back in Mumbai, the friends say their homes are draped in lights and they enjoy food with families |
| The food, he said, is particularly evocative of that family time. | The food, he said, is particularly evocative of that family time. |
| "It's the tradition to get jalebi, a sweet thing," he said. | "It's the tradition to get jalebi, a sweet thing," he said. |
| "It's a yellow spiral, looks like a snail, but it tastes good. | "It's a yellow spiral, looks like a snail, but it tastes good. |
| "Those are the things we will miss eating. | "Those are the things we will miss eating. |
| "I know we can get it in Nottingham, but having it with the family back in Mumbai is an altogether different experience." | "I know we can get it in Nottingham, but having it with the family back in Mumbai is an altogether different experience." |
| Some Diwali traditions will remain, Viraj says | Some Diwali traditions will remain, Viraj says |
| However some traditions - such as the lighting of candles and the sociable celebrations - will remain, he said. | However some traditions - such as the lighting of candles and the sociable celebrations - will remain, he said. |
| He plans to enjoy the Diwali party which the students have planned. | He plans to enjoy the Diwali party which the students have planned. |
| "The party is going to be a melting pot for a lot of different cultures here," he said. | "The party is going to be a melting pot for a lot of different cultures here," he said. |
| "It's a chance to be social. To fully show the Indian in you." | "It's a chance to be social. To fully show the Indian in you." |
| 'I'm missing her a lot' | 'I'm missing her a lot' |
| Miheer says he and his girlfriend will dress up in traditional clothes for their video call | Miheer says he and his girlfriend will dress up in traditional clothes for their video call |
| Miheer Shetty, 25, said he was feeling the separation from his girlfriend, who is in Mumbai. | Miheer Shetty, 25, said he was feeling the separation from his girlfriend, who is in Mumbai. |
| The Nottingham-based student said: "I've got my clothes here; she is in India, but we are both going to get dressed up and we are going to have a video call. | The Nottingham-based student said: "I've got my clothes here; she is in India, but we are both going to get dressed up and we are going to have a video call. |
| "It's my first away from her and I'm missing her a lot." | "It's my first away from her and I'm missing her a lot." |
| However, he is hoping to bring some of the party spirit from home into the midst of his new friends - his family, as he calls them. | However, he is hoping to bring some of the party spirit from home into the midst of his new friends - his family, as he calls them. |
| "Back home Diwali is the biggest party of the year," he said. | "Back home Diwali is the biggest party of the year," he said. |
| "All of us coming under the same roof and having a blast together. | "All of us coming under the same roof and having a blast together. |
| "It is a festival which has a togetherness vibe to it; we eat a lot of sweets and food. | "It is a festival which has a togetherness vibe to it; we eat a lot of sweets and food. |
| "The best thing is we buy shiny clothes and wear these shiny clothes and look good. | "The best thing is we buy shiny clothes and wear these shiny clothes and look good. |
| "I'm going to be celebrating it with my new family here, and I hope they can make some good food, because I'm really bad at it." | "I'm going to be celebrating it with my new family here, and I hope they can make some good food, because I'm really bad at it." |
| Miheer says he hopes his new friends can cook | Miheer says he hopes his new friends can cook |
| He said that while Diwali is a party, it is also about making peace. | He said that while Diwali is a party, it is also about making peace. |
| "Nobody is left in the darkness, everyone is brought into the light," he said. | "Nobody is left in the darkness, everyone is brought into the light," he said. |
| "We are going to be lighting our rooms and celebrate it like we were in Mumbai. It's a smaller space, but less work to get it set up. All of us are going to party together." | "We are going to be lighting our rooms and celebrate it like we were in Mumbai. It's a smaller space, but less work to get it set up. All of us are going to party together." |
| Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | |
| Mumbai | |
| Nottingham | |
| Diwali |
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