Wikipedia describes the diya as an oil lamp with a cotton wick soaked in oil or ghee, most commonly made of kiln-fired clay, and notes that lighting diyas is central to Diwali, with small lamps placed along borders and doorways. Because a plain clay diya costs very little, decorating it yourself is one of the easiest and most personal Diwali crafts.
This guide gives you DIY Diwali lantern and diya decor ideas you can make at home: painted and decorated diyas, paper lanterns and akash kandil, jar and bottle lanterns, hanging lights and string lamps, with materials, step-by-step methods, kid-friendly projects and the fire safety rules for homemade lamps. Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026, according to Dekho Panchang.
DIY Diwali Lantern and Diya Decor: Materials Checklist
Most projects use the same small kit. Collect it once and you can make several ideas in an afternoon.
| Material | Used for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plain clay diyas | Painted and decorated diyas | Soak new ones in water for a few minutes before painting |
| Acrylic paint and brushes | Colour and patterns | Choose water-based paint and let it dry |
| Glue gun or craft glue | Sticking pieces | Adult use only for hot glue |
| Coloured paper and card | Lanterns and kandil | Thicker paper holds shape |
| Glass jars | Jar lanterns | Clean and dry before decorating |
| LED tea lights | Safe light inside lanterns | Choose battery-operated types |
| Beads, sequins, mirrors | Decoration | Stick on the outside only |
| Thread, wire, ribbon | Hanging | Check the weight a hook can hold |
Painted and Decorated Diya Ideas
Decorating a diya is simple and fast. Paint the outside of the bowl, leave the inner bowl bare so oil and wick are not affected, and add small details with dots, lines and stickers. Let each coat dry before adding the next.
| # | Diya idea | How to make it | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polka dot diya | Paint a base colour and add dots with a pencil end | Easy |
| 2 | Gold-rim diya | Paint the outer rim in gold | Easy |
| 3 | Rangoli pattern diya | Draw petal patterns around the rim | Medium |
| 4 | Mirror-work diya | Stick tiny mirrors around the outside | Medium |
| 5 | Bead-border diya | Glue beads around the rim | Medium |
| 6 | Peacock diya | Paint feather eyes in blue and green | Hard |
| 7 | Marble-effect diya | Swirl two paint colours | Medium |
| 8 | Lace-wrapped diya | Glue a strip of lace around the outer rim | Easy |
| 9 | Kundan diya | Place flat stones in a pattern | Medium |
| 10 | Floral diya | Paint small flowers | Medium |
Wikipedia notes that the diya is also made in brass and other metals, so you can clean and polish brass lamps as a free alternative to painting.
Paper Lantern and Akash Kandil Ideas
The akash kandil is a hanging lantern traditionally displayed during Diwali, and paper versions are among the most popular crafts. Use thick coloured paper or card, cut slits, fold and glue the pieces into a cylinder and put an LED light inside.
| # | Lantern idea | How to make it | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Simple paper cylinder | Fold paper, cut vertical slits, join the ends and push out | Easy |
| 12 | Star kandil | Join star-shaped paper points | Hard |
| 13 | Accordion lantern | Fold paper like a fan and join the ends | Easy |
| 14 | Cut-out pattern lantern | Cut diya or flower shapes in card | Medium |
| 15 | Tissue paper lantern | Glue tissue pieces over a wire frame | Medium |
| 16 | Ice cream stick lantern | Glue sticks into a box shape and cover with paper | Medium |
| 17 | Origami lantern | Fold square sheets into a lantern shape | Medium |
| 18 | Fabric lantern | Wrap fabric around a frame | Hard |
Use LED tea lights inside paper lanterns, never a flame, because paper burns easily.
Jar, Bottle and Glass Lantern Ideas
Glass jars make beautiful lanterns because they are strong and let light shine through. Clean and dry the jar, decorate the outside, and put an LED tea light or a diya inside a larger jar with the flame well away from the sides.
| # | Idea | How to make it | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Painted jar lantern | Paint with glass paint or dilute acrylic | Easy |
| 20 | Tissue paper jar | Glue tissue paper squares with craft glue | Easy |
| 21 | Mosaic jar | Stick coloured beads or stones | Medium |
| 22 | Fairy-light jar | Place a small string of battery fairy lights inside | Easy |
| 23 | Etched pattern jar | Use stickers as a stencil, then paint around them | Medium |
| 24 | Bottle lamp | Decorate a bottle and place a string of lights inside | Medium |
Hanging Lights, String Lamps and Wall Decor
Hanging decor draws the eye upwards. Thread a string of paper lanterns across a doorway, hang kandil from a balcony hook or make a wall hanging with diya shapes cut from card and lit by fairy lights.
| # | Idea | How to make it | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Paper lantern string | Join small lanterns on twine | Medium |
| 26 | Diya cut-out wall hanging | Cut diya shapes, attach to a branch | Medium |
| 27 | Fairy-light frame | Wrap fairy lights around a frame | Easy |
| 28 | Bunting of marigold paper flowers | Cut flowers from paper and thread | Easy |
| 29 | Brass bell and light hanging | Hang small bells and lights together | Medium |
| 30 | Mirror lamp wall | Arrange mirrors and lights in a pattern | Hard |
Step by Step: A Painted Diya in Ten Minutes
This project is perfect for children and adults alike.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wipe the diya clean and let it dry |
| 2 | Paint the outer base colour and let it dry for 15 minutes |
| 3 | Add the rim colour or dots |
| 4 | Add one detail, such as a flower or a line of beads |
| 5 | Let everything dry before use |
| 6 | Add oil, a wick and light it only when dry |
Kid-Friendly Diwali Craft Projects
Children can paint diyas, decorate jars with tissue paper, stick sequins on lanterns and thread marigold paper flowers. Give each child a small tray of materials, let them design freely and keep scissors, hot glue and flames for adults.
Fire Safety for Homemade Lanterns and Diyas
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue advises placing diyas, tea lights and candles on heat-resistant surfaces and well away from curtains and decorations, and supervising children and pets at all times near flames. For homemade decorations, that means three rules: use flame only in clay, metal or glass holders; use LED lights inside anything made of paper, fabric or plastic; and let paint and glue dry before lighting.
NAPIT advises checking lights for damage before use, avoiding overloaded sockets and switching lights off before leaving home or going to sleep. Apply the same advice to homemade fairy-light lanterns.
