Walk inside the Spice Corner supermarket in Elliotts Road, Fairy Meadow and your senses will be heightened. The smells and sights of an Indian marketplace hit you as your shimmy past other shoppers in the narrow aisles.

I spoke to Satish, who has owned Spice Corner for the past seven years. The small business has suffered through Covid but he says that that it’s picking up now. While I’m there the shop is buzzing with customers, many of whom are planning and stocking up for the Hindu celebration of Diwali, celebrated on Monday, 24 October.

I ask Satish what Diwali means to him and he says it's about the sharing of sweets. Spice Corner has two cabinets packed with freshly made (local and Sydney) sweets. Many Indian sweets are fried, made with sugar, milk and condensed milk. Sometimes nuts, such as almonds and pistachios, are added. They are often flavoured with nutmeg, cardamom and other fragrant spices. There are many varieties from the different regions of India. Some of the better known in Australia are gulab jamun, halwa, jalebi and kulfi.

The store is jammed with thousands of products: spices, rice, flours, pulses, oils, snacks and many things I don’t recognise. The variety is endless. I count at least 12 varieties of ghee (clarified butter). There is also a well-stocked pre-made Indian meals cabinet and a pie warmer with goodies such as crunchy spicy lentil patties and samosas.

At this time of year, the store is stocked with all manner of things for Diwali, including colourful candles, candle holders, sparklers and decorations.

I recommend a trip to Spice Corner, but set aside some time because it's an Aladdin's cave of exotic goodies.

Spice Corner is at 27 Elliotts Road in Fairy Meadow and on Facebook