Diwali, today, is extra special for Bharti Singh, as it is her son, Laksh’s first. The comedienne says she and her husband, writer Haarsh Limbachiyaa, have a special celebration planned, as they want to instill traditions and values in their son — whom they fondly call Gola — early on.

“Haarsh and I want Laksh to witness everything. We will definitely have our Diwali puja as usual. We will take him out to the balcony to show him the celebrations around. I am sure he will be overjoyed as he has begun to recognise colours,” she tells us.

Not just Diwali, Singh is enjoying all festivals and traditions with her six-month-old. She says, “Every festival of Laksh’s is very special as it’s his first. Sometimes, Haarsh shouts at me for making our son wear traditional outfits. He is like, ‘Utaaro ye kapde, use uncomfortable feel karwa rahi hai’. But, I think it’s only a mother who can teach her child the value and significance of traditions and the way to celebrate a festival. Also, I feel abhi se aadat daalni chahiye bachhe ko. I dressed him up as Lord Krishna for Janmashtmi. I also made him wear traditional clothes on Raksha Bandhan and Karwa Chauth.”

Though this happens to be a memorable occasion, Singh says they are keeping things simple and intimate, and are avoiding crowded gatherings, keeping in mind the safety of her son.

“We didn’t have gatherings because of Covid-19 in the last two years, nor did we invite any friends to our place. This year, too, we intend to keep it simple... We are continuing to see Covid-19 cases here and there. Therefore, I cannot put my child’s health at risk. We will stay away from the crowd as much as possible,” she says, adding that she plans to visit her in-laws as well as her mother.

Another thing she is wary about is how her little one may react to the sound of firecrackers. “He is very young and could be scared by too much noise. So, I’m a little nervous... I hope we can all have a safe and happy Diwali,” she wraps up.