Deepavali the Tamil Way: Oil Bath, Lehiyam and Thalai Deepavali

Deepavali is celebrated across India, but every region has its own flavour. In North India, the main celebrations usually happen in the evening with Lakshmi Puja. In Tamil Nadu, our Deepavali begins in the dark — long before sunrise.

As a child, I remember being woken up at 4 a.m., half asleep, with warm oil being rubbed on my head. The sound of the first crackers in the street, the smell of shikakai and new clothes — those memories come back every year.

🌙 Naraka Chaturdasi: Why We Celebrate Early

In Tamil Nadu, Deepavali is mainly celebrated on Naraka Chaturdasi, the day associated with the victory of Lord Krishna (with Satyabhama, in many versions) over the demon Narakasura. The story says Narakasura asked that his death be remembered with celebration and lights.

That is why the festival is observed in the early morning hours, before dawn, when the victory is believed to have taken place. The message is simple: light always wins over darkness, both outside and inside us.

🛁 Ganga Snanam: The Sacred Oil Bath

The most important ritual is the oil bath. Elders apply warm sesame oil (often heated with pepper, a betel leaf or a little ginger) on everyone’s head. Then we bathe with shikakai or herbal powder.

There is a belief that on Deepavali morning, the holy Ganga is present in all water. So the bath is called Ganga snanam, and the first greeting of the day is: “Ganga snanam aacha?” — “Have you had your Ganga bath?”

After the bath, we wear new clothes, often after they have been kept before the deity and touched with a little turmeric. Then we seek blessings from elders.

🍬 Lehiyam, Sweets and Sharing

Deepavali in Tamil homes is incomplete without Deepavali marundhu or lehiyam — a dark, sticky herbal paste made with ginger, dry ginger, pepper, jaggery, ghee and other spices. A small spoon is taken in the morning to help digestion, because everyone knows what is coming next: sweets!

Murukku, adhirasam, mysore pak, rava laddu, ribbon pakoda — many families still prepare these at home a few days in advance, with everyone helping. Plates of sweets are exchanged with neighbours, and sharing is the real joy.

If you are watching your sugar levels, enjoy a few pieces and share the rest. I have written about hidden sugar before — festivals are for joy, not for regret the next week.

💍 Thalai Deepavali: The First Deepavali

For newly married couples, the first Deepavali after the wedding is called Thalai Deepavali. Traditionally, the couple celebrates it at the bride’s parents’ home. The son-in-law receives new clothes and gifts, and the family welcomes the couple with special food and much affection.

It is a beautiful custom that brings two families closer in the first year of a new relationship.

🎆 Crackers, Kindly

Crackers are part of the excitement, especially for children. But in recent years, we have all seen the smoke and noise problems in cities. Courts and the Tamil Nadu government have often set specific time slots for bursting crackers on Deepavali day — check your local announcements every year.

Some simple ways to celebrate responsibly:

• Choose green crackers and burst them in open spaces.
• Keep a bucket of water nearby and never let children handle crackers alone.
• Remember elders, babies, patients and pets near your home.
• Spend part of the cracker budget on new clothes or sweets for someone who cannot afford them.

“The brightest light of Deepavali is the smile you bring to someone else’s home.”

🪔 Takeaway

Tamil Deepavali is a festival of early mornings, warm oil, family blessings and shared sweets. Whether you live in your hometown or far away, keep at least one ritual alive — the oil bath, the lehiyam or the morning blessing. Your children will remember it the way we do. Want to count the days? Use our countdown timer. Iniya Deepavali Nalvazhthukkal!