Diwali - Festival of Lights

Diwali is one of the highlights in the Indian Festival calendar. Probably the most joyous and well-known of the Indian festivals, Diwali is a five-day festival of lights and a time for decoration and celebration.

Diwali commemorates different deities and events depending on the area in which you find yourself. In northern India, Diwali commemorates the end of Rama’s 14-year exile and his subsequent coronation as king. In Gujarat, Lakshmi the goddess of wealth is the star of the show. Further north in Nepal, participants honour Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon king Narakaasura, and in Bengal Diwali is associated with the Hindu goddess Kali. Whichever their preference, celebrants decorate their homes with flowers and mango leaves, deck themselves out in new clothes, light clay lamps, set off fireworks and exchange sweets and gifts with friends and relatives. It's a joyous time to be in India. To westerners, Diwali will probably seem a bit like Christmas, albeit with a lot more fireworks.