A young girl imagines a river of light in 18th century Delhi

Meera, a young girl in 18th century Delhi, envisions a grander celebration of light for her community during the festival of Diwali.

Meera talks with her father, a potter who works at a spinning wheel to shape clay diyas, which are traditional oil lamps. While her father explains that the royal flame is held by the Badshah Salamat to rule the empire, Meera questions why the people who craft the lamps do not hold a light of their own.

She learns about the Akash Diya, a massive royal lamp said to burn like a sun and be visible from Chandni Chowk. Meera's father describes the social structure of the time, noting that while the ruler makes the big decisions, common people like potters, carpenters, and weavers often share their thoughts while working or resting. He explains that some people submit an arzi, which is a written petition to the ruler, though not every voice reaches the palace.

Inspired by her family's work and her mother's words about the river, Meera decides to plan a larger celebration. She imagines creating a garden of light on the Jamuna river, where diyas float like flowers from one end of the ghat to the other. She dreams of a scene where the Akash Diya shines in the sky above the palace while the river shimmers below on the earth.