MUMBAI: Music producer Jackie Vanjari says that he always looks forward to Diwali every year. He adds that he makes sure to reach out to the needy every Diwali as well.

“Diwali happens to be my favourite festival, we celebrate it with light, love and togetherness. I will be with my family, meet friends. Also, I will make sure I do something for the underprivileged. whatever is in my capacity. It is extremely necessary for each of us to do this,” he says.

Diwali creates lots of noise and air pollution, he says, adding, “We’ve all grown up celebrating Diwali with firecrackers, which obviously leads to noise and air pollution. I mean we all did this at some point. We realise what this has led to, so most of us have stopped buying crackers … Yes, there are some who still continue but I’m sure it’s reduced to a large extent and it’s changing. Strict restrictions have been put in place now so things will surely be different soon.”

Talking about Diwali shopping, he says, “Honestly, we shop throughout the year! For me, Diwali is more about shopping for lights, kandeel (lanterns). I love the vibe of the Diwali, everything lights up, it looks so beautiful and festive.”

Yummy food is always welcome on Diwali, he says, adding, “I simply love Indian sweets. During Diwali, I indulge more in homemade sweets, being a Maharashtrian our Marathi Farrell we call the Diwali delicacy I just indulge without guilt in all that stuff.”

Talking about Dhanteras, he says, “Danteras is a very auspicious festival. We pray for health and prosperity for each other. It is very important to also be thankful for everything we are blessed with. We’ve been taught to invest in valuables for the future so as a ritual we do buy good as good is a sign of prosperity.”

Festive time is hectic, he says, adding, “Work is always hectic but we try to finish commitments prior, so those 3-4 days, it’s easy and we are relatively free to celebrate with family, friends. The entire industry celebrates Diwali so it's good even if you have to work a few hours during the festival.”