TRANSCRIPT:
A family from regional New South Wales is on an Indian adventure.
Divya Panchal arrived in Australia as a student in 2014.
Eleven years later, she’s returned to India with her Australian husband, Josh Ryan, and their children.
“We were thinking to do it around November or January. So I'm like, why not Diwali then? Because that's the best time I could ever - like the boys, this is their first trip, first time here for Josh as well. So I thought, we'll choose Diwali because it's the best time to know the culture, to see so much lights.”
It's Josh’s first visit to India.
“Since we've been here, it's been very busy every night. Indians don't seem to sleep, but I'm really looking forward to the next few days for sure.”
While they look comfortable navigating the streets of Ahmedabad with four children in tow, their story together began on the other side of the world.
Josh met Divya while she was working a part time job in the Riverina region.
JOSH: “I was on my way home from work one day, and there's a service station just outside of Griffith in a small place called Hanwood. It's literally three Ks (kilometres) out the road. And when I went to see - I went to there just to get a drink, and I saw this beautiful woman and just started saying hello, and small conversations led into longer conversations. And yeah, lo and behold, we got married. That's pretty much it."
DIVYA: “The biggest difference is I'm a strict vegetarian and he's a strict meat eater... Both of our individual values are same, even though we are very different. We just want to be kind not bothering to people. So, our individual values are very, very similar.”
Josh and Divya each have two children from previous marriages, and are raising them to know both Australian and Gujarati cultures.
DIVYA: “We get this question a lot that how are our kids going together? But I think they are really doing well."
JOSH: "And when they first met each other too, we were in the dating period, and then we went to a place just kids fun play area, and then they met each other and they just looked at each other and said, want to go play? And then that was it. We sit down and we had a coffee. That was it. And we knew at that stage we were just like, yeah, it's going to work. It's going to work really well.”
Diwali this year is an opportunity for Divya to show Josh and the children the markets and temples in her home state of Gujurat.
And one of Diwali's most-loved traditions: fireworks.
“To put into perspective, this is our Christmas. There's so much lights, fire crackers, and if you go out in the market, it's just so busy that you'll see so much colours. We took the kids to a flower park the day before yesterday, and it was so beautiful. So many lights, so many amazing things that even my Indian kids haven't experienced before, because obviously they're born in Australia and it's very hard to come every festival here. So I want all of the kids and also Josh, to see what I have grown up into. And this is amazing. It's 11 years in Australia, but I still miss this. We have so many festivals, it's all colourful. You'll see colours everywhere.”
Also visiting India on the eve of Diwali is Australia’s minister for multicultural affairs.
Anne Aly is visiting New Delhi to send a message that Indian-Australian identity is stronger now than ever, despite recent anti-migrant protests in Australia.
“What I love about the Indian diaspora in Australia and Indian migration to Australia, is that it has become part of our multicultural story and a significant part of our multicultural story. And it's not just about the celebration and it's not just about the colour. It's also about a deep and mutual respect, a mutual respect, a mutual respect between individuals and a complete acceptance of who you are in your entirety, every aspect of your identity. Australian, Indian, all of those parts of your identity. And I'm watching a generation of young Australians of Indian heritage grow up in Australia and forging this unique Australian-Indian character and identity within themselves, but also the impact that that has on our broader Australian identity and how we see ourselves as a nation.”
In India’s capital and across the world, Diwali celebrations will see traditional oil lamps burning alongside modern drone and lasers shows.
But for this family from Australia, it's about sharing unique experiences with loved ones.
“I don't think you can be bored here in India. You will see colours, festivals, people just celebrating life. I feel it's amazing that even probably with less money comparatively, they enjoy life very much here.”
