Celebrating Diwali with Anuradha Suresh and Amritavarshini Gunasekaran

This Diwali, we celebrate the rich cultural and storytelling heritage of South India through Anuradha Suresh and her apprentice, Amritavarshini Gunasekaran.

Fremont’s Anuradha Suresh, a classical musician and skilled harikatha performer, is a mentor in ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program, where she teaches Amritavarshini (Amrita, for short) the traditional South Indian art form. Harikatha combines storytelling, poetry, and Carnatic music, bringing to life tales from epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana and creating a cultural bridge across generations.

For Anuradha’s family, who are Brahmins from Tamil Nadu, Diwali celebrations take the form of Naraka Chaturdashi, as in much of South India. Their celebrations begin early in the morning, gathering with family and performing sacred rituals symbolizing renewal and prosperity. Unlike the North Indian Diwali, which centers around evening festivities and fireworks, the Tamil tradition begins at dawn.

“We wake up at 3 AM, gather everyone’s new clothes, and come together in the living room,” Anuradha explains. 

Then, the family performs nalangu, a blessing ritual where they wipe their feet with a red paste made from lime and turmeric root; they also draw a line around their feet with kumkum paste. While anointing each person’s head with a drop of oil, Anuradha sings “Sri Rama Jaya Jaya,” a traditional song that her grandmother used to sing every Diwali. Afterward, everyone showers, dresses in new clothes, and shares a family breakfast of idli and chutney before visiting the temple and extended family, and lighting lamps to wish each other ‘Deepawali’ – another way of saying Diwali more common in South India.

“Sri Rama Jaya Jaya,” sung by Anuradha Suresh.

Central to Anuradha’s family’s celebration, and others who celebrate Naraka Chaturdashi, is the story of Narakasura. Narakasura was a powerful demon who terrorized the heavens, but he was ultimately defeated by Lord Krishna and his wife, Satyabhama. In this story, first told in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, Narakasura’s defeat symbolized the victory of light over darkness. After his death, Bhumi (Mother Earth) requested that her son Narakasura be remembered not with sorrow but with joy, inspiring South Indian families to celebrate the day with new clothes, sweets, and festive gatherings.

 “Diwali is about honoring our heritage, sharing stories, and celebrating together as a family,” reflects Anuradha.

Diwali’s significance varies widely across India. In North India, it’s a multi-day festival with Choti and Badi Diwali, centering around Lakshmi Puja, where families pray to the goddess of wealth. In contrast, many southern states do not traditionally celebrate Diwali, or otherwise recognize it as Naraka Chaturdashi.

For Anuradha’s apprentice Amrita, this cultural heritage is still somewhat new. Her family has roots in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but growing up, Diwali wasn’t celebrated in the Keralan side of the family.

“To me, Diwali (the Festival of Lights) is a symbolism of light taking over the darkness, in the shape of our family and friends,” shares Amrita.

Now, with Diwali’s growing global reach, Amrita is not only learning about her Tamilian family’s Diwali customs but also connecting them with her Keralan heritage.

For Amrita’s apprenticeship, Anuradha teaches Amrita about the storytelling tradition of harikatha. Many of the stories featured in their performances come from Sanskit epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, just like the stories central to Diwali. A harikatha performance during Diwali would typically tell the story of Narakasura’s defeat. However, modern harikatha performances can cover topics relevant to anyone or any time, from social issues to climate change.

Anuradha began her formal harikatha training only six years ago, with Sangitha Kalanidhi (an honor and title bestowed on an exemplary Carnatic musician) Sri T. N. Seshagopalan. However, she has been teaching carnatic music in Fremont for three decades, and is a long-time devotee of puranas (ancient Indian texts). While growing up, she used to listen to discourses on puranas intertwined with Carnatic music. She sought a mentor several years ago in the Bay Area to begin teaching her the ancient South Indian classical form, acting on her deep fondness for bringing these ancient tales to life.

“I love knowing the stories behind the compositions,” Anuradha shares.

As Diwali becomes celebrated more widely, Anuradha notes that the festival’s essence remains intact even as traditions evolve. Whether it’s celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi or referred to as Deepawali, the celebration brings people together in shared joy, remembrance, and renewal, connecting the past to the present — much like the art of harikatha itself.