In pictures: India prepares for a muted Diwali amid coronavirus case rise

Officials warned of a potential super-spreader event if celebrations became too large

An Indian clay artist works on an unfinished idol of the Goddess Kali ahead of the Diwali festival in Kolkata, India. EPA

Indians shop for firecrackers in a market ahead of the Diwali festival in Amritsar, India. EPA

Indians throng a market for shopping ahead of Hindu festival Diwali in Ahmedabad, India. AP

A woman harvests marigold flowers ahead of the upcoming Hindu Tihar festival in Ichangu Narayan village, on the outskirts of Kathmandu. AFP

An Indian craftsman makes earthen lamps or Diya at his workshop ahead of the upcoming Diwali festival in Bangalore, India. EPA

Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolises the victory of good over evil, and commemorates Lord Ram's return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing a 14-year exile. EPA

An Indian flower vendor sells artificial flowers on street ahead of the Diwali festival in Kolkata, Eastern India. EPA

Also known as 'deep', diya is traditionally made of clay. During Diwali, the earthen lamps are used for illuminating the entire home and premises. The diya is filled with ghee or oil. EPA

Artists Kalpesh Budheliya and Mahesh Chauhan give finishing touches to a Rangoli, a floor painting made with coloured powder, depicting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a large facemask and the Indian Map ahead of Diwali. AFP

Vendors sell decorative items at a roadside stall ahead of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. AP

A vendor sells pictures of Laxmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wealth, at a market ahead of the Tihar (Diwali) festival in Kathmandu. AFP

Hindus in India are being warned not to relax their adherence to Covid-19 safety measures over the Diwali festival.

Despite a ban, thousands of fireworks are likely to be set off in cities and town across India, increasing already bad air pollution and raising the risk posed by Covid-19.

New Delhi's sprawling bazaars have been swarming with shoppers ahead of Diwali and the wedding season after the government relaxed regulations in a bid to breathe life into the lockdown-hit economy. Mask-wearing is common but social distancing is not, and infections may spike in coming days.

Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolises the victory of good over evil, and commemorates Lord Ram's return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing a 14-year exile.

The capital reported 8,593 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, its highest daily tally yet. The average pollution reading was 299 on Thursday on a scale of 500, where any number above 300 is classified as very poor and can cause respiratory illnesses.

ICU facilities in the city are in such short supply that some hospitals are squeezing more beds into existing wards ahead of the weekend.

"We are firefighting because Diwali is looking like a super spreader event in front of us and the public just doesn't see the threat," said a senior health department official in Delhi, declining to be named.

The city was one of the first in the country to restart economic activity after the lockdown that started in March, letting restaurants, malls and other businesses restart to avoid spiralling joblessness.