From painted diyas lighting up the corridors in soft mustard hues to colourful rangolis gracing our front doors- with Diwali just around the corner, we can feel the city gearing up for the festival of lights! Adorn your house with scented garlands from Dadar Flower Market or stock up on Kaju Katlis from Mumbai’s famous sweet shops. Or maybe a trip away during Diwali’s long weekend sounds right up your alley? Today, we bring you a carefully curated roundup of the best things to do to celebrate Diwali in Mumbai!
Table Of Contents
Best activities this Diwali
1. Catch enchanting firework displays from Mumbai’s iconic Marine Drive
The Queen’s Necklace witnesses a stunning burst of lights and colours as people gather along the coast to catch the beautiful fireworks. Invite your friends and family as you either take a seat on the promenade or drive past the marine line for a spectacular experience. Trust us, soon you will be making this a yearly tradition!
2. Book tickets to a beautiful candlelight concert
What could be more in line with the festival of lights than a concert nestled among thousands of candles? From renditions of your favourite Bollywood soundtracks and of legendary artists like R.D. Burman and Abba, Candlelight concerts bring you just the perfect experience to enjoy the wonders of music and aesthetics combined!
You can book your tickets to upcoming candlelight concerts here
(Use coupon code DIWALI20 for 20% discounts on all candlelight concerts till November 4!)
3. Wander around Mumbai’s beautiful flea markets at The Lil Flea
Occurring at Jio World Garden, this celebration will be decked with 300-plus homegrown brands, 50-plus stalls of delectable food, drinks and desserts, an amazing lineup of live bands and ofcourse a host of fascinating workshops. From artisanal bakeries, and micro-breweries to pottery workshops and live music performances, this festival offers the complete deal.
📅October 25- October 27, from 6 pm onwards
🎟️You can book your tickets here
📍Jio World Garden, Mumbai
4. Explore beautiful towns near Mumbai this Diwali weekend
With people celebrating Diwali on October 31 and November 1, this year the festival has opened gates for a long weekend and you bet we are going to help you capitalise on that! Plan your very own Diwali party with close friends and family at these best towns near Mumbai:
🛣️Alibaug: You can book gorgeous villas in this coastal town for the weekend and spend evenings taking a walk across the beach to catch mesmerising sunsets. If a quaint (or strewn with a few Diwali house parties in between) Diwali weekend is what you need, then a ferry ride to Alibaug is one for the books.
🛣️Igatpuri: A lush paradise, this beautiful town is only three hours from Mumbai and an ideal destination to escape during the Diwali weekend. With a handful of resorts in the area that plan a quaint Diwali celebration, you can enjoy twinkling string lights, lavish meals and firework displays all in the backdrop of the rolling hills.
You can read the full list of beautiful towns near Mumbai to visit this Diwali here
Mumbai markets for Diwali shopping
5. Buy sweets at these best Mumbai sweet shops
From fudgy kalakands, and melt-in-the-mouth ras malai to everyone’s favourite kaju katlis, Diwali is the time to box up your guilt to indulge in a lavish cheat weekend as boxes of mithais keep getting delivered to your house. You can buy your pick from our favourite sweet shops in Mumbai:
🍮M.M. Mithaiwala: Gulab Jamuns, Gheeyar, Gajar ka Halwa, you name it! A plethora of sweets here excelling in both quality and taste is a perfect destination for getting your long list of Diwali mithai.
🍮Tewari: Through an enormous public vote and well the author’s absolute favourite, Tewari by far is the best when it comes to motichoor ladoos! You can never go wrong with boxes of the same as they make perfect (and delicious!) additions to your Diwali hampers.
🍮Shree Gangaur Sweets: Any collection of sweets here is as good as it gets. Whether it is the delicious sandesh or its syrup-drenched jalebis, Shree Gangaur is the place to get your mithai fix.
6. Shop or browse past Mahim’s Kandil Galli for thousands of colourful lanterns
Colourful lanterns hang from makeshift ceilings as hundreds of vendors set up shop here during Diwali season. Every kandil here has intricate designs and colour palettes ranging from INR 20 to INR 2,000. We highly recommend getting your camera here to capture colourful frames that showcase a tradition well preserved for decades now.
7. Get gorgeous Diwali lights at Mumbai’s Lohar Chawl in Crawford Market
One of the biggest wholesale markets in Mumbai, Crawford Market stacks everything you will need for Diwali from diyas and decorations to dry fruits and food ingredients among more. Among their lanes, you will find the enigmatically lit lanes of Lohar Chawl selling vibrant lights coming in all shapes, sizes and colours. Adorns your house with string lights flashing yellow, green, red and blue or buy lanterns to give your house an ethereal glow.
8. Go diya shopping at Dharavi’s Kumbharwada district
A business that has been going on for decades, nay centuries, Kumbhawada- known as the potter’s district of Dharavi is a treasure trove for hand-crafted and painted diyas. Approximately 800 diya makers showcase their craftsmanship every Diwali with their workshops barely spanning larger than a small room which also doubles as their living space. You will find a huge collection of beautiful diyas from classic clay collections to ones drenched in primary colours or adorned with mirrors, ribbons and sequins.
9. Check your festive list at these best street shopping markets in Mumbai
Prep for Diwali at these 10 best street shopping markets in Mumbai for great deals on Diwali decorations, clothes, food and more!
Best restaurants for Diwali dining deals
10. Butterfly High
Offering a plethora of Indian meals from buttery Paneer Makhani served with soft Mini Kulchas to Paneer Tikka Roomali Shawarma slathered with spicy marination, this restaurant gets the Diwali spirit. A colourful joint saturated with tapestries, chandeliers, and a quirky charm, roll a six-on-dice here and win free drinks on the house!
📍Various locations across the city, find the full list here
11. Raasta Bombay
Offering a night of music, dancing, and tantalising Diwali decor, dress up in ethnic attire and enjoy delicious cocktails at Raasta’s Diwali house party.
📍4th & 5th Floor, Rohan Plaza, Road No.5, Khar West, Mumbai – 400052
12. The Bombay Canteen
Try their exclusive Bombay Sweet Shop, which stocks an assortment of namkeens, from Chilli Cheese Bhujiya to Tex Mex Corn Chivdas and jars full of flavourful mithais. Further, upon winning the title of India’s Best Restaurant 2024, it is only fair that you try their expansive and delicious menu from the creamy Bhopali Rezala to the sugary Puranpoli Cannoli.
📍Unit-1, Process House, S.B. Road, Kamala Mills, Near Radio Mirchi Office Lower, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013
13. Kyma
Coming armed for the festive season with a limited edition Celestial Cocktail menu, you can try boozy glasses of The Mandarin Moon Fiz infused with gin and sparkling wine as well as Caprese Charm bringing your favourite salad in a glass. From Mediterranean delights such as arrays of pita pockets to its Jain menu featuring fragrant chilli basil fried rice, Kyma packs a festive punch.
📍Plot C-66, One, G Block BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051
14. Gallops
This Diwali season, the gorgeous restaurant launches an exclusive Diwali dessert menu in association with Indu Icecream– two limited edition plated desserts as well as a range of festive flavours to gorge on! Further, the restaurant with its ivy ladden outdoors strung with yellow lamps offers a beautiful backdrop for your Diwali meal. From their Jaituni Paneer Tikka to their Koftas and Kolhapuris, it is a must-visit.
📍Keshavrao Khadye Marg, Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai 400011
15. Nksha
Offering a curated Diwali menu, Nksha tempts with aromatic spices and flavours found in dishes like the coriander paneer tikka, truffle essence mushroom cheese kulcha and tandoori soya chaaps among more. Try its delicious cocktails, bubbly or still, to wash the filling Diwali meal.
📍ADCB Rehman Manzil, 1A/1B, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020