The staff has moved all the furniture in both our home and office to ensure that they evict every speck of dust. Our friends have started the trash talk each other on their poker skills. We’ve started packing the gifts. And every day more sweets from relatives and friends arrive in the kitchen. It’s Diwali time!
Diwali, “the festival of lights,” is India’s most widely celebrated festival. Different parts of India celebrate in different ways. Some pray to Ganesh, some celebrate the homecoming of Lord Ram, some worship Goddess Kali, others worship Goddess Laxmi.
Wherever you go, the basic traditions stay the same. Diyas (oil lamps), candles and lights line the streets and driveways home homes. Families decorate home entrances with Rangoli, beautiful floral patterns made of flowers and rice paste. Sweets are exchanged between family and friends.
Businesses also have a special role to play during Diwali. In Marwari culture, the new books of accounts are opened on the day of Diwali. Business owners, with their employees pray to Lord Ganesha and Godess Laxmi for a prosperous year. Offices have their own special Diwali Puja. Businesses send sweets and gifts to all their vendors, clients, and any other associates.
At Mana, we celebrate Diwali with our family at the tea estates as well as at our Calcutta office. This year, we have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot to celebrate. Our new US business has been taking off steadily. We are making substantial progress with our product line. Our new speciality teas are ready for launch. For Diwali this year, we present this new range of teas to all our business associates to share our achievements.
Stay tuned for our official Speciality teas launch, and more from Mana ! Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy Diwali!
Best wishes,
Avantika, John, and the whole Mana Team