Inspiration

Just a girl with a dream of sharing her love for all things Indian, but especially Indian festivals. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago in a large, close knit family who found every excuse to get together — holidays, birthdays, promotions, showers, really anything. This unity and consistently being exposed to Indian culture really inspired me to continually learn about my heritage, a big part of which is utsavs/festivals. I hope we can all use these Boxes to celebrate utsavs with our families and pass on traditions to our children and generations to come.

EverydayUtsavs

Many of us feel tremendous pressure from the impossible task of living Pinterest-worthy lives. Trying to find time to celebrate festivals, especially with young children, can be so daunting. Where to start? What to make? What to do? EverydayUtsavs® is my attempt to replace the “dauntingness” of festival celebrations with simple, everyday activities we can do with our families. The word utsav is derived from the Sanskrit word utsava meaning a festival, celebration, or joyous occasion that removes (“ut”) grief/sorrows (“sava”). I hope these Boxes do just that—bring joy, instill love, and spark curiosity.

72945_10102044425856077_1057129131_n.jpg

Hi everyone! My name is Poonam Mehta. I am a proud SoCal based Indian American living in a joint family with my husband, son, FIL, MIL, BIL, SIL, and adorable niece. Three generations under one roof allows us the unique opportunity to blend traditional Indian culture with some modern touches.

I am always thinking of new ways to spark curiosity and instill love for Indian culture in little ones, which is how the Box came to be. EverydayUtsavs is truly a labor of love for me. It is my sincere hope that you enjoy these Boxes as much as I enjoy creating them. Indian festivals are truly community-driven and I hope my little contribution helps your families learn about Indian festivals and pass traditions on for years to come.