Lighting up lives: Women entrepreneurs redefine Diwali festive decor

Festival of lights puts spotlight on creative economy

From handmade lanterns to intricately designed wall hangings, women-led homegrown businesses are transforming passion into profit, with Diwali serving as both a cultural celebration and a booming marketplace.

Each year, as Diwali, the festival of lights, approaches, it lights up not just the homes and ambience of the country, but also puts spotlight on the creative talents that normally remain in the shadows. A number of women turn entrepreneurs for the festive season fulfilling not just their creative urges but also earn a decent income from sale of various Diwali-related hand-crafted objects that they make.

Monica Gupta, a homemaker in Delhi, is one such entrepreneur. “I was a professor of fashion design at Kasturba Women Polytechnic, but about 20 years ago, I decided to follow a long-standing passion for handicrafts and festive decor. What began as a hobby soon evolved into something more. I started creating handmade Diwali decorations and other crafts from home, initially just for friends and family. As word spread and interest grew, my work began reaching a wider audience. By 2005, I started participating in Diwali exhibitions, setting up stalls to showcase and sell my creations. Since then, it has become a fulfilling part-time venture that allows me to blend creativity with tradition. I design every product myself, ensuring each piece reflects care and originality,’’ Gupta tells Media India Group.

Gupta adds that the activities for Diwali merchandise start much earlier.

“Preparations for the festive season begin as early as May, from sourcing raw materials to finalising designs. Every year brings new inspiration, and I take pride in creating handcrafted items that bring joy to others during the most celebrated time of the year,” she adds.

Gupta’s story is far from unique. Across India, countless women turn their creative passions into income-generating ventures, particularly around festival seasons like Diwali, Navratri and Ganesh Chaturthi. With limited capital and flexible schedules, many women find home-based businesses and exhibition stalls to be accessible ways to earn, express themselves artistically, and connect with their communities. Often starting informally, these ventures frequently grow through word-of-mouth and seasonal demand. Over time, they become not just hobbies, but meaningful sources of income and self-reliance.

“I started creating handicrafts and decorations as a hobby and began putting them on display in exhibitions during Diwali. This started about 6-7 years ago. Now I own a shop, which I run with my sister,” Meenu Verma, a Delhi-based entrepreneur, tells Media India Group.

Women’s role in Indian handicrafts industry goes far beyond the festivals as the entire industry has long been sustained by women artisans. Over half of the country’s artisan workforce is female, particularly in sectors like textile weaving, paper crafts, pottery, and decorative items. Yet, despite their crucial contribution, only about 22 pc of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India are women-owned. Many continue to operate outside formal business structures, relying instead on exhibitions, self-help groups and local events to reach customers and generate income.

The rise of festive stalls, especially around Diwali has played a crucial role in supporting these women-led enterprises. These seasonal exhibitions offer more than just a marketplace; they provide a platform to test products, gather feedback, meet potential repeat customers, and showcase one’s creativity in a vibrant, high-demand setting. For many women, earnings during this period can be significant, especially with the rising appetite for unique, handmade, and sustainable decorative items.

“Despite owning a shop now, I still continue to participate in Diwali exhibitions and melas (fairs), as it helps display my products and build new clientele,” says Verma.

In recent years, consumer behaviour around festive decor has undergone a significant transformation. Once limited to traditional diyas, candles, and rangolis, the market has expanded to include an ever-growing variety of home and outdoor decorations. Today’s consumers seek out designer wall hangings, paper and clay lanterns, fairy lights, eco-friendly torans, hand-painted pots, and centrepieces that reflect both aesthetic appeal and cultural symbolism. 

The demand for décor that is unique, photogenic, and reflective of personal style is steadily increasing, driven in part by the influence of social media and visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.

“Patterns have changed, earlier people only thought about diyas and rangolis when it came to Diwali decorations, now-a-days they want to buy wall hangings, lights and what not,” says Gupta.

“While I rely on my creativity, I also keep up with social media trends and particularly Pinterest when it comes to taking inspiration,” adds Verma. 

While traditional motifs remain popular, there is a strong shift toward blending heritage with modernity. Artisans are experimenting with minimalistic designs, fusion patterns, and even thematic decor that aligns with contemporary interiors. Handmade decorations that once felt rooted in tradition are now seen as versatile pieces that can suit both ethnic and modern aesthetics. Religious and cultural symbolism remains important, but it’s now often reimagined in more stylised, artistic ways.

“I have started incorporating new ideas and designs in the decorations like LED lights, or lamps, more minimal sleek designs which are preferred by the younger generation,” says Gupta.

Affordability is no longer the only consideration. A growing section of urban and semi-urban consumers are willing to pay premium prices for handcrafted items. 

“During Diwali season, we make almost 80-90 pc profit as people love to buy unique decorations, and spend lavishly as Diwali is an extremely important part of Hindu culture, and it is signified through lights, decorations and colours,” adds Gupta.

With rising disposable incomes and a growing trend toward lifestyle-driven spending, festive decoration is now viewed not just as a custom but as a way to express creativity, identity and taste.

“Spending on such decor depends on people’s income, it varies. However, people have started to increasingly spend on decorations especially during Diwali, this trend has particularly increased post-covid,” says Verma. 

This shift is also reflected in the data. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, IBEF, India’s e-commerce sales during the 2024 festive period reached approximately INR 1 trillion, marking a 23 pc increase from the previous year. While consumer electronics and fashion dominated headlines, categories like home décor and seasonal decorations showed a significant uptick in demand, especially among younger, digitally savvy buyers. Offline retail has seen similar growth, with Bank of Baroda estimating that overall festive and wedding season spending in 2025 could exceed INR 120 trillion. A sizable portion of this goes into home beautification, gifting, and decorations, categories that small-scale artisans and women entrepreneurs are well positioned to serve.

For such entrepreneurs the challenge lies in staying ahead of the curve, predicting trends, staying ahead of competition and managing operations efficiently during peak seasons. 

“Having done this for over a decade, I can say it used to be much easier. There is a lot more competition now, not just from other businesses, but also from the growing trend of DIY. When it comes to handmade decorations, many people assume they can replicate them after watching a few videos on social media. What they do not always see is the time, creativity and labour that go into crafting each piece. Still, I believe that quality speaks for itself. A well-made product always stands out,” says Gupta.

As consumer preferences continue to evolve, what remains constant is the value of originality and authenticity.