As Aarti grew older, she began to participate in the traditional festivities that dotted the Indian calendar. She would help her mother prepare intricate rangoli designs on the floor, using a mixture of rice flour, vermilion powder, and flowers to create beautiful patterns that welcomed the gods into their home. During Diwali, the festival of lights, Aarti's family would light diyas, small clay lamps that symbolized the victory of light over darkness, and exchange gifts with their neighbors.