Diwali—the festival of lights, is just round the corner. Tradition and convention demands us to light earthen-oil lamps on this day. Yet people find innovative ways of lighting lamps made from other materials and even electrify their lamps to help the bulbs glow like tiny flames. The joy of Diwali can become multifold if one can add a personal touch to it with an element of creativity.

Here is an eco-friendly idea that you can use to make your Diwali a special occasion for a very glowing reason. As all of us know, thermocol is not easily biodegradable, yet it is a very good packing material and invariably finds its way into our homes as a by-product when we buy electronic goods.

Instead of throwing those away or just dumping them in the attic, one could convert them into a work of art with a little effort. You could make thermocol cutouts which depict the traditional lamp, following a few guidelines using a few materials around your home. You will need a cardboard (cover of an old hard bound notebook will do), a pencil eraser, a sketch pen, a pair of scissors, a hacksaw blade, fabric paints, a flat paint brush numbered two, cellophane tape, a good glue and some glitter paints or flashy sequins to see you through the process.

First and foremost draw the outline of a diya with a pencil along the lines of the picture given alongside. Make sure that your picture is proportionate and appealing because it will form the base of the work. Cut it out carefully. 

Use a good hacksaw blade and make slices of the thermocol which has the thickness of an ordinary bread slice.  Place the cardboard cutout on the thermocol and mark the outline of the diya with a sketch pen and cut it out with a hacksaw blade.

Use bright fabric colours of your choice and paint the cutouts evenly without soaking them up.
Bring out the glitter or the sequins and use them to highlight the outlines of the drawing. You can embellish the lamp with some designs of your choice to make it appear dazzling. Once your thermocol lamp is complete, you can make dozens of them in any colour scheme you want and use cellophane tape and fix them on the doors and windows of your home.

Instead of taping the diya all along the border, cut out three inches of the cellophane tape and fix one and a half inches of the tape on the back of the diya towards the central region. Fold the tape backwards so that the sticker portion is affixed to the spot which has been chosen. This way the lightweight thermocol diyas will light up your hearth and homes all the while, also shedding light on how to convert potential threats into treats…