Diwali in Mumbai: A colourful walk through Mahim's Kandeel gully

In the next few days, Mumbai — like most parts of the country — will be dressed in light. Every house, lane, gali, and mohalla will glow with diyas and lanterns of every shape and hue. Among them, the kandeel — the paper lantern that defines Mumbai’s Diwali skyline — holds a special place. It’s no surprise, then, if your social media feed is soon flooded with reels and short videos from the city’s vibrant Kandeel gully, temporary markets that spring to life for about 10 to 15 days around Mahim.

The Kandeel Gully in Mahim opens up just a few days before Diwali

As we bargain for kandeels and diyas in the festive rush, few pause to think about the faces and hands behind these beautifully crafted lights. No art can thrive without its artisans, and the Indulge Express team set out to meet them — led by Shantanu Das of Photowalk Mumbai — to explore the community that has kept the tradition of kandeel-making alive for generations.

Interestingly, the kandeel didn’t begin as a Diwali symbol. Historically, it was used during Eid celebrations, especially among Muslim communities in Mumbai. But as the city’s cultural landscape evolved — and with Diwali emerging as the biggest festival of lights in a largely Hindu population — the kandeel found new meaning. Over time, it transcended its origins and became an integral part of Mumbai’s shared festive spirit, a glowing emblem of how traditions merge and adapt across communities.

The very word kandeel has travelled through time and tongues. It originates from the Arabic word “Qandīl” — meaning lamp or light — which passed through Persian and Urdu before becoming rooted in Mumbai’s everyday language. Once a symbol of illumination during Ramzan and Eid, it now lights up the city’s homes for Diwali, carrying centuries of cultural mingling and shared celebration.

We entered the narrow lanes of a chawl near the Mahim market, where every 10-by-10 home seemed to breathe this craft. The first thing that strikes you is the sheer density of life and labour crammed into these tiny spaces. One side of a room is stacked with clothes, utensils, and the everyday clutter of family life; the other bursts with craft — bundles of delicate coloured paper, scissors, glue, bamboo sticks, and half-finished lanterns piled precariously. The space barely allows a six-foot-tall man to stretch his arms fully, yet families navigate it with practised ease, folding, cutting, and assembling kandeels with meticulous precision.

Inside these modest rooms, every family member — from the youngest child to the eldest — is absorbed in the work. Some cut shapes, others paint motifs, and a few carefully thread tiny lights through the paper to make them glow. The air is thick with the scent of glue and paper, punctuated by bursts of laughter and the rhythmic rustle of hands at work. The kandeels themselves are a riot of colour — fiery reds, sunny yellows, deep blues, and shimmering silvers — creating a kaleidoscope that almost makes the tiny, crowded rooms feel like a festival in miniature.

One such family is that of Vikas Dhure, who continues the legacy started by his parents nearly seventy years ago. “Earlier, bulk orders meant about 50 kandeels; today, that number has nearly doubled to 100. Prices have also risen — from ₹170–₹190 per kandeel to starting at ₹500 — yet the festival rush remains the highlight of the year,” Vikas shared.

Vikas’s story mirrors that of countless families who work tirelessly in these crowded, colourful rooms. Some skip meals; some pause for a brief rest; but all share a quiet joy — a sincerity and festive spirit that fills these tiny spaces. From the outside, these homes may appear like pigeonholes, but inside, they glow with life and colour, a testament to Mumbai’s enduring spirit of craft and community.

Stepping back into the streets, the kandeel gallis themselves are ablaze with light, reflecting every hue we’ve just witnessed: reds, yellows, blues, and silvers of lanterns competing with the golden flicker of diyas. In these fleeting weeks, the city’s narrow lanes and chawls are transformed into a living canvas — a symphony of colour, labour, and light, all culminating in the festival that defines Mumbai’s Diwali.

(Story by Arundhuti Banerjee)

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