Not just diyas, candles and torches, firecrackers too light up Mumbai sky

Though the government had clarified that it was a voluntary exercise, neighbours rebuked those who did not switch off their lights, and asked them to do so immediately.

In many apartments, people stood at their balconies chanting ‘Go Corona Go’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’. Apeksha Vora, a Mulund resident, said, “We lit our Diwali diyas to feel happy and dispel some of the gloom that has been caused by the virus. In our society, people even put up fairy lights and, for a few moments, the entire society looked like we were part of a celebration.”

In the suburb of Kandivali, diya lighting was followed by chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’, ‘Ganpati bappa morya’ and ‘Har har Modi, Har har Mahadev’. In most buildings, the lights came back on by 9.10 pm.

To everyone’s relief, the grid did not trip.

Songs such as Ae watan and Mile sur mera tumhara were also played at some apartments. In the Dadar area, some people also banged thalis, recalling the March 22 Janata curfew ‘taali bajao, thaali bajao’.

In parts of Versova, home to a significant population of people who work in the film and television industry, the air was filled with the sound of several conches blowing in unison.

Film personalities Karan Johar, Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar, Randeep Hooda, Vicky Kaushal and Janhvi Kapoor posted their photos of lighting diyas and candles.