Mooshika's Diwali Adventure is a new Diwali tradition for kids. Each night, Mooshika finds a new hiding spot, and each morning kids follow his pink lotus pawprints to find him and the daily Diwali activity he brought. Learn more about Mooshika!

Inspired by elf on the shelf, but more about playing with the kids rather than watching them.

Read the book together to introduce your children to Mooshika. Then, welcome Mooshika into your home by leaving out his favorite snack, laddoos!

Once he's come to the house, each night of the Diwali season (or larger festival season if you prefer), parents hide Mooshika somewhere new and place lotus footprint stickers leading to him and showing what kind of fun things he was doing all night long. In the morning, kids follow the footprints to see where Mooshika was playing, and to eventually find him and the daily Diwali activity.

On the last night of your family's Diwali celebration, Mooshika can go back to Ganesh until next year's Diwali, until you put out laddoos again to invite him for the next holiday/celebration (e.g. birthdays, Holi, Ganesh Chathurthi), or he can just stay with your family all year long!

If your children like to sleep with Mooshika, you can still place the lotus pawprints and show what cute things he was doing all night long, including leaving a new Diwali activity for the kids.

Yes!

But also, not really. Mooshika has his own story and a different purpose. Mooshika isn't watching, reporting, or keeping track of who's naughty or nice. He's there to play, teach, and celebrate. Each morning, kids follow his lotus prints to discover where he's been and a new way to get involved in the Diwali festivities.

As Ganesha's faithful vahana, Mooshika helps kids connect with Diwali through stories, activities, and a little bit of magic.

You might hear Mooshika described as an “Elf on the Shelf for Diwali,” because he appears around the holiday and parents move him while kids are asleep. So while we do hope to make this a meaningful part of everyone's holiday tradition, part of the goal of Vahana Friends is for Indian and South Asian children to feel like they have their own unique identities, cultures, and traditions to carry.

The Mooshika Diwali Bundle includes everything you need to begin the tradition at home:

1) 🐭 Mooshika Plush Doll

10" tall, 7" when seated. 

Made of microfiber plush and polyester material.

2) 📕 "Mooshika's Diwali Adventure"

40 page book in either paperback or hardcover for the supporting founder's edition.

3) 🪷 50 Lotus Pawprints

50 uncoated cardstock cards with a lotus pawprint and rounded corners to make sure it's safe for little hands. Kids can collect them and use them to help decorate the house, or parents can pick them back up to reuse again and again.

Ages 3+

Standard is $5 (5–8 business days). Express is $15 (2–3 business days).

Yes!

Orders received by 10/26, 12pm EST, will get to homes by 10/31, giving you a full week to introduce Mooshika and build your family's tradition.

Orders received by 11/1, 12pm EST, will receive the bundle by 11/6, giving them Choti Diwali to read the story and Diwali morning to bring the magic of Mooshika home and begin the tradition!

Print out your free copy of Mooshika's Diwali Activity Kit and you will have a fun activity everyday for the kids to enjoy.

If you want to go beyond that, we have more ideas and links on the How It Works page.

He does not have to be! It is up to you. The end of the book (spoilers!) is purposely written so that Mooshika leaves the door open to returning anytime, as long as you leave out a plate of ladoos for him! This way families can really make the tradition their own.

Some families may only bring him out for Diwali. Others may bring him out for other festivals and holidays to help kids explore more of their culture. And for some families, Mooshika will just stay all year long! Each family will make the tradition their own.

The Mooshika Diwali Bundle is currently only available in the contiguous US, excluding PA and OH. We hope to expand to these states and other countries in the near future. 

"Mooshika's Diwali Adventure" will be available internationally as a paperback via Amazon.

Our activity kits are free downloads available internationally as well. This contains a page of lotus print cutouts so you can make your own footprints at home! Sign up for the email list to receive the activity kits download link.