By Apoorva Mahajan & Ishaani Budhraja
It’s that time of year again. Rows and rows of houses are clearing out old piles of hoarding, dusting every nook and cranny of their homes, and hanging garlands of flowers (either real or fake) while stringing LED lights—whether they are the traditional multicolour of green, red, and blue or the more VSCO-style twinkling warm lights.
In case you couldn’t tell, we’re talking about Diwali. If Songkran is the Thai New Year, then Diwali is the Indian New Year.
It is also an excuse to get dolled up, purchase brand new outfits, delivered straight from some cousin who has just returned from India, and hop from Diwali party to party while sampling all the best mithais from each host. But before all of that, you have to make sure your own house is ready to welcome guests.
Maybe a blurry memory now the older we get but there was a time travelling to Pahurat was an essential part of Diwali shopping. From murtis and puja samagri, to mithai and flowers, “Little India” was (and still is) the one-stop shop for Diwali preparations.
This October, with plenty of time to spare, Masala is dusting off some of those old memories with a guide to shopping in Pahurat (and the neighbouring Flower Market, Phak Khlong Talat) for all your Diwali needs.
Diwali centers on welcoming warmth and prosperity into the home, with the sacred pooja honoring Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha at its heart. Authentic pooja samagri is essential to these meaningful rituals. From brass diyas that kindle divine light to pure camphor, fragrant agarbatti, and sacred powders like kumkum and sindoor used to invite blessings into your space.
Located on Chak Phet Road in Phahurat (Bangkok’s Little India), Air & Raju is a beloved, long-standing staple for the local Indian community. Popular for its vast selection of imported groceries, it is equally a go-to sanctuary for festive preparations, offering a full range of brassware, wicks, idol attire, and havan supplies to ensure your Diwali setup is complete.
Everyone knows that Diwali calories don’t count. How can they when every party you attend, every box that is delivered to your house from a family member, a friend, or a friend of a friend contains sweet, sugary, ghee-soaked goodness?
These days, it is easy to pick up boxes from Saras or put in an order with Marigold by Chef Garima, perfectly packaged and seamlessly delivered, but there was once a time… If you are in the throes of pre-Diwali shopping at Pahurat, we suggest heading to Punjab Sweets.
Tucked away further down the “Little India” alley on Chakkraphet Road, Punjab Sweets is one of the OGs of Indian sweet shopping in Bangkok. Growing up, we’re more than certain you had a couple of the iconic white boxes with the red lettering of PUNJAB SWEETS in your refrigerator meant to be slowly demolished in the days after Diwali.
Fair warning: It tends to be pretty crowded in the week leading up to Diwali celebrations so be prepared to squeeze your way through crowds, shout over the din to get your order packaged, and grab the last of the fresh motichoor laddoos otherwise someone else will. Our recommendation? Don’t skip out on the kaju katli.
Pak Khlong Talat is Bangkok’s legendary 24-hour flower market, an extraordinary late-night cultural spot and the ultimate destination for Diwali supplies. Situated along the Chao Phraya River on Chak Phet Road, it is just a short walk from Exit 1 of the Sanam Chai MRT station (Blue Line).
The market is a sensory paradise, overflowing with ice-packed crates of imported roses, delicate orchids, lotus blooms, and radiant marigold garlands—the essential centerpiece for Diwali celebrations.
The diya is the most symbolic way to represent Diwali. It’s in all the greeting cards, in the WhatsApp forwards, and in the ceremonies.
We’ve all heard the anecdote of lighting every room with diyas so the Goddess Lakshmi can find her way into each room of the house and bestow prosperity upon it. There is a giddy, almost-childlike joy in lighting each wick and rushing to place in the correct room before the wind (or any sort of direct breathing) extinguishes the delicate flame.
Diyas have come a long way since the simple clay designs. These days, you can find ones which are intricately painted or if you prefer to have them all in one spot when you do the aarti, gorgeous diya stands.
When express shipping from India fails or you fear being hit with a heavy customs fine, why not revisit the Little India Alley of Pahurat? As you walk along the paved, and slightly congested, Chakkraphet Road, gently elbowing other customers out of the way, you are spoiled for choice.
The area is dotted with little shopfronts filled to the brim with clay, terracotta, and sometimes even metal diyas. They come in various shapes and sizes and you could honestly spend a whole day looking at colours and designs.
Although many of the shops are unmarked, they are unmistakable by the large flower (both artificial and genuine) garlands hanging from the crossbeams. P.S.: You can also find the powders required for rangolis (or rangoli stickers that can be reused year after year) at these shops too.
It is no surprise that Diwali, the festival of lights, is incomplete without the brilliant crackle and spark of festive pyrotechnics. Sparklers, fountains, and pop snaps bring an undeniable joy to the night, illuminating the streets and backyards as families gather to celebrate.
Operating for over 80 years, KhunAd Shopfirework is one of Bangkok’s oldest and most trusted purveyors of fireworks and festival lights. Whether you are looking for classic sparklers, colourful ground fountains, or child-friendly novelty snaps for your home Diwali setup, this long-standing legacy shop provides a safe and extensive selection to bring that bright, essential festive magic to your celebrations.