Diwali through lens: Phones replace tambola, cards

For many Delhi households, Diwali has long been synonymous with family gatherings, laughter, and traditional games such as tambola, cards, and friendly indoor competitions. But for Gen Z, the festival of lights has evolved into something quite different — one centred more around smartphones, reels, and selfies than age-old pastimes.

For Gauri, Diwali night has followed the same rhythm for the past five years. After the Puja, she and her cousins gather at a house to recreate Instagram reels, click selfies, and spend hours laughing together. Clutching their phones, scrolling endlessly for the perfect content, traditional games have taken a backseat.

“After the Puja is done, we hurdle around at one of our houses, recreate reels, and take selfies for hours. It’s fun and we get to laugh and enjoy ourselves,” Gauri said, smiling at memories of past celebrations.

Sitting together in a room after the Puja, cousins scroll through TikTok and Instagram, searching for inspiration to film their own content. Traditional games, once the centerpiece of Diwali night, have been largely replaced by this new form of entertainment.

Sourabh Shukla, who lives in Uttam Nagar, remembers how things used to be. “When I was younger, I would play tambola or card games with my family and neighbors. My family still tries to maintain those game nights, but my daughter and her friends are far more interested in spending their nights filming videos and taking selfies. They often say they spent too long getting ready to not capture the moments.”

Aryan (20) echoed this sentiment. “I’ve never even heard of playing games on Diwali night. I usually spend the night on my phone or go out for a walk. We eat together and then everyone is back on their phones," he said.

Though, not all young adults have abandoned tradition entirely. Twenty-year-old Pranav Bhatt, for instance, keeps the spirit of tambola alive in his family. “There isn’t a big plan, but after helping my mom with the Diwali Puja and placing the diyas, me and my cousins usually play tambola. We even keep small bets, and whoever wins gets a cash prize,” he says. For Pranav, the festival remains a bridge between family bonding and playful competition.

Even amid the screens, some moments of togetherness persist. Sumit Jha described his family’s ritual, saying, “After lighting diyas and putting up lights, we eat sweets and snacks together. Then we burst crackers, watch fireworks, hang out, laugh, click pictures and talk about random things.”

As Diwali adapts to the social media age, the festival of lights shines in a new way-- one where laughter, selfies and reels have become as central as the diyas themselves.