• A man stands under lanterns for sale at a Diwali market in Mumbai. Vivek Prakash / Reuters
    A man stands under lanterns for sale at a Diwali market in Mumbai. Vivek Prakash / Reuters
  • Dancer Vimi Solanki waits to perform on stage as Lord Krishna during the Hindu festival of Diwali in Leicester, United Kingdom. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
    Dancer Vimi Solanki waits to perform on stage as Lord Krishna during the Hindu festival of Diwali in Leicester, United Kingdom. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
  • Indian children play with firecrackers during Diwali in New Delhi, India. Altaf Qadri / AP Photo
    Indian children play with firecrackers during Diwali in New Delhi, India. Altaf Qadri / AP Photo
  • Indian school girls lighting candles as they sit near a 'Rangoli', which is made out of coloured powder during pre Diwali celebration at a school in Amritsar. Narinder Nanu / AFP
    Indian school girls lighting candles as they sit near a 'Rangoli', which is made out of coloured powder during pre Diwali celebration at a school in Amritsar. Narinder Nanu / AFP
  • An Indian Border Security Force soldier lights a candle inside a bunker. Jayanta Dey / Reuters
    An Indian Border Security Force soldier lights a candle inside a bunker. Jayanta Dey / Reuters
  • A Sri Lankan Tamil devotee offers prayers while holding an oil lamp during Diwali, or the Festival of Lights at a Hindu temple in Colombo. Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP
    A Sri Lankan Tamil devotee offers prayers while holding an oil lamp during Diwali, or the Festival of Lights at a Hindu temple in Colombo. Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP
  • Shoppers look at decorative lights for sale in a shop at a Diwali market in Mumbai. Vivek Prakash / Reuters
    Shoppers look at decorative lights for sale in a shop at a Diwali market in Mumbai. Vivek Prakash / Reuters
  • A shopkeeper sells electric lights to decorate homes with. Piyal Adhikary / EPA
    A shopkeeper sells electric lights to decorate homes with. Piyal Adhikary / EPA
  • Indian rickshaw puller Naresh prepares a marigold flower garland for customers for Diwali. Naresh, a 38-year-old migrant worker, said he wanted to make some extra money for his family by selling the garlands Sajjad Hussain / AFP
    Indian rickshaw puller Naresh prepares a marigold flower garland for customers for Diwali. Naresh, a 38-year-old migrant worker, said he wanted to make some extra money for his family by selling the garlands Sajjad Hussain / AFP
  • Widows gather around a tulsi plant and light oil lamps to celebrate Diwali at a rest house run by a devotee in Bhubaneswar, India. Biswaranjan Rout / AP Photo
    Widows gather around a tulsi plant and light oil lamps to celebrate Diwali at a rest house run by a devotee in Bhubaneswar, India. Biswaranjan Rout / AP Photo
  • People light traditational Chinese lanterns to celebrate in Bangalore. Jagadeesh NV / EPA
    People light traditational Chinese lanterns to celebrate in Bangalore. Jagadeesh NV / EPA
  • A long exposure shows people thronging into Mumbai market for shopping ahead of Diwali. Divyakant Solanki / EPA
    A long exposure shows people thronging into Mumbai market for shopping ahead of Diwali. Divyakant Solanki / EPA
  • People buy decorative items in a store in Mumbai. Divyakant Solanki / EPA
    People buy decorative items in a store in Mumbai. Divyakant Solanki / EPA
  • A vendor sells colourful mobiles to hang for the festival in the Old Quarters of New Delhi. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP
    A vendor sells colourful mobiles to hang for the festival in the Old Quarters of New Delhi. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP
  • Sri Lankan Hindus offer prayers during Diwali. Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP
    Sri Lankan Hindus offer prayers during Diwali. Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP

Let there be light, Diwali celebrations

Mark Asquith

November 14, 2012

  • English
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Hindus around the world gathered to celebrate the Festival of Lights.

Diwali marks the start of the new year on the Hindu calendar and celebrates the return of the ancient King of Ayodhya, Rama, after 14 years of exile, and the defeat of the demon king Ravana.

People light small clay lamps called Diyas or candles and decorate buildings with lights to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness. It is considered auspicious to buy gold and diamond jewellery during this time and fireworks are used for the noise and colour as some people think that evil spirits are driven away by loud noise and lights.

Rangoli, decorative designs on the floor made from coloured rice powder, are popular in Diwali and many people create them in their homes and courtyards to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi since it is said that she is quite the wanderer during this time and brings good fortune and wealth to the house that she visits.

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