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Cooking classes, Rangoli’s mithai and young engineers make up Diwali in Silicon Valley
In the valley, the Diwali celebration is a neighborhood get-together put on by local businesses, schools, and universities.
Vina Patel’s family Diwali Party features the actors of the local Ram Lila play / Vina Patel
Vina Patel, a resident of Saratoga California and author of cookbook “From Gujarat with Love” has planned dishes for the Diwali table of Vice President Kamala Harris. She will teach Kamala and her supporters the sweet and savory Gujarati cooking on the afternoon of Saturday Oct. 26,. Kamala Harris Victory Fund has sent out the invites.
On the menu is the traditional Patra. A sweet, spicy and salty—all at the same time-nutritious and tasty appetizer. “It is a nutritious, vegan snack that is very easy to make. Colocasia leaves are slathered with a spicy mixture, rolled and steamed. The second dish is a very special sweet dish. Paan laddoo!”
Vina has followed the Diwali traditions of her native country and celebrated Diwali with her three children and husband, Haresh Patel. “ I still do that ! I have kept my Gujarati traditions alive. Growing up, my mom, grandma, and sister-in-law would make delicious treats like Magas, Mathia, and Chevdo, carefully arranging them on stainless steel platters to share with our neighbors and relatives. I have fond memories of helping with this tradition, and I've done my best to carry it forward here in the Bay Area by delivering these platters to several neighbors and close friends. It feels like a meaningful way to stay connected to my Indian roots,” she said. “
Often, I travel to where my adult children live and repeat this festive routine in their homes.”
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Gujarati appetizer Patra,featured in the Diwali cooking class, being made in Vina’s kitchen / Vina PatelOld traditions in new homes
In the Valley, the children of India keep their old traditions and mash up some new ones. “Last year I was in Wisconsin where there are not too many Indians. I had a bunch of American friends. So I invited them and made rice pudding and we worshiped the goddess Lakshmi. This year in the Bay Area I will visit the gurdwara in San Jose in the morning and temple in the evening. My mother is Sikh and father Hindu.”
Armed with lists dictated over the phone by parents from India, pooja items are bought by young engineers of Silicon Valley. Apni Mandi, a grocery store that welcomes the shoppers with upbeat Bollywood music and decorated chocolate paans had its Diwali wares spilled out. Lamps, pooja items like incense sticks, temples, idols of god and goddesses to meet every family’s Diwali tradition are available. Diwali sweets are piled high in trays. Hot sweet steaming cups of chai are free for the taking.
“We celebrated with college mates. The college society held a celebration. I attended that,” said Abhisekh, a recent graduate from Stanford now working for a semiconductor company. He and his two buddies, also recent graduates from Stanfod, sat sipping the free chai on offer by the grocery store. They will be together for Diwali night. Grab a special dinner at an Indian restaurant.
University clubs host celebrations for students
Stanford Redwood City held out an invite “Join us for a dazzling Diwali Celebration on Wednesday, October 23, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. in Cardinal Café! Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. It’s a time for joy, reflection, and new beginnings.”
A home away from home, the University sets the practice for the students to follow as they enter their adult lives. Many get together to celebrate as a group.
“Last year ten of us got together for dinner. We deep cleaned our house, and lit diya-lamps that we got from the Indian store. We had some firecrackers as well. We went to the Hindu temple in Sunnyvale where we burst them.We did some puja at the temple and at home,” said a young shopper at Apni Mandi who works for Ebay. His friends are from work and his Master's program in Georgia Tech.
Companies celebrate Diwali with team members
Those of Indian origin make up “just about 1 percent of the U.S. population and 6 percent of Silicon Valley's workforce. As per not-for-profit Indiaspora’s recent impact report in partnership with BCG, about one-third of tech employees in Silicon Valley are of Indian origin.
Silicon Valley companies step up to make their team members happy.
“Ebay had a week-long celebration. Today they did a Rangoli event. They have a dance competition planned in a few days.”
“We have a lot of corporate orders for mithai,” said the cashier at Rangoli. “Apple ordered 1500 boxes of one pound mixed mithai this week,” he said.
Rangoli, Silicon Valley’s oldest esteemed mithai store, has been in business for thirty years. It has seen the boom and bust of each technological phase of the Valley from the Dot.com days to the AI revolution.
“We expect 2000-2500 people daily in our store over the five days of Diwali.”
Mithai boxes at Rangoli / Ritu MarwahGrocery stores open late
The burgeoning Indian grocery store industry ensures the devoted have all they need to keep their traditions alive.
Rangoli will be opening its doors at 7 am and closing them at midnight for the five days of Diwali. Boxes are piled high in anticipation. The variety of mithai and namkeen available probably puts Haldiram, India’s large sweet shop to shame Apni Mandi will be open 24 hours. Hot steaming cups of tea await the devoted revelers.
It is that time of the year when the hard working denizens of the technological world have traditionally indulged themselves. Parties are planned and kitchens gird themselves up. A cooking class is on the cards.
The Party Does Not Stop
Kamala and Vina Patel are planning a Diwali Party like no other. “I want her to try Gujarati cuisine and promote it, especially when she hosts Prime Minister Modi at the White House. It would be a proud moment if we can elect our first woman of Indian origin. I plan to teach her how to make Patra and Paan Ladoo, both signature recipes from my first book, "From Gujarat With Love." said Vina Patel from Saratoga with love. “See you on Saturday and Happy New Year Saal Mubarak in Gujarati”
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