My Favorite Diwali Decoration Is 40 Years Old (and It’s Still Gorgeous!)

Diwali is almost here, which means for some, they’re going all in on decorations, while others are putting up something small, simple, and meaningful. I, personally, am in the midst of my last-minute shopping to get my diyas (clay lamps), but I wanted to check out how a designer decorates for Diwali. For that, I reached out to Priya Vij, founder of Hapny Home. 

While Diwali is a cultural festival, it is also, of course, a religious one, celebrated by Hindus around the world. The deities most prominently worshipped on this day are the god Ganesh and the goddess Laxmi, both considered bringers of good luck and fortune to the home. For Priya, her favorite decor pieces are the many idols (or murtis) of the deities that she’s collected and inherited over the years. 

“Every year I went to India growing up, I purchased a new Ganesh murti. I love the eclectic collection I’ve built over the years of different shapes, styles, colors, and materials,” she says. 

One of her favorites is a beautiful silver Ganesh murti that her mom chose in Delhi before Priya was born, and has been in her family for 40 years. Her other favorites are two Lladró candleholders featuring both Ganesh and Laxmi, which sit side by side on Diwali. 

She has a personal connection to both deities, and feels deeply for their symbolism. “Ever since I was young, Ganesh has always been the Hindu god that has resonated with me the most. I used to carry a small Ganesh murti in all my bags and suitcases. I especially love Ganesh’s symbolism when it comes to Diwali and balancing the pairing with Laxmi — it’s not just about material goods and wealth that Laxmi represents, but also about wisdom, humility, and good judgment,” she explains. 

Much like me, Priya relies on diyas for Diwali decor, but in her case, they work as accessories for her idols. She arranges a mixture of murtis and diyas on two separate trays in the center of her living room, surrounding them with incense and more tea light candles to make the display bright, colorful, and inviting — within reason, of course, as too much tea light constitutes a fire hazard. She’s still adding to her decor: “Every year I buy new decorative diya holders to add color and texture to the setup and keep growing my collection,” she explains. 

“Getting to set [my Ganesh murtis] up alongside some Laxmi murtis and colorful, bright diyas once a year is a fun way to pause and reflect on the brightness and joy I’ve experienced in the past year,” she says, outlining what celebrating the festival really means to her. 

On years that she celebrates with her parents, she takes her silver Ganesh murti with her, reuniting it with its twin Laxmi murti that her mother keeps at home. She loves the sparkly effect of the design on all the edges, as well as the pops of red and green in the jewels. When surrounded by the light of the diyas, these silver idols reflect light in “a beautiful way that makes everything feel a bit more magical.”

Like many Indians, she leaves the candles on until they go out, and the lights on all night, as according to custom, this directs good fortune to your home. Her decorations stay up for a week or more, until the Christmas decor is broken out for the season.