• An Indian woman holds her child and watches a firecracker light up in New Delhi, India. Altaf Qadri /AP Photo
    An Indian woman holds her child and watches a firecracker light up in New Delhi, India. Altaf Qadri /AP Photo
  • Tenements housing in Mumbai illuminated with lights to celebrate Diwali. Rafiq Maqbool/ AP Photo
    Tenements housing in Mumbai illuminated with lights to celebrate Diwali. Rafiq Maqbool/ AP Photo
  • An Indian man dressed as monkey god Hanuman walks in a procession on the eve of Diwali in Allahabad, India. Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo
    An Indian man dressed as monkey god Hanuman walks in a procession on the eve of Diwali in Allahabad, India. Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo
  • A police officer sprinkles coloured powder onto a police dog at Nepal’s central police dog training school as part of the Diwali festival, also known as Tihar Festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Narendra Shrestha/ EPA
    A police officer sprinkles coloured powder onto a police dog at Nepal’s central police dog training school as part of the Diwali festival, also known as Tihar Festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Narendra Shrestha/ EPA
  • A Hindu devotee walks past god statues during Diwali at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Lai Seng Sin/ AP Photo
    A Hindu devotee walks past god statues during Diwali at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Lai Seng Sin/ AP Photo
  • Children with special needs light firecrackers as they celebrate Diwali at the Shishu Sarathi School in Gauhati. Anupam Nath/AP Photo
    Children with special needs light firecrackers as they celebrate Diwali at the Shishu Sarathi School in Gauhati. Anupam Nath/AP Photo
  • Firecrackers light up the sky as people celebrate the festival of lights in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. Rajanish Kakade/AP Photo
    Firecrackers light up the sky as people celebrate the festival of lights in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. Rajanish Kakade/AP Photo
  • Indians crowd a market selling marigold flowers early morning on Diwali in Mumbai. Marigold flowers are popularly used as offerings and for rituals and decorations during Hindu festivals. Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo
    Indians crowd a market selling marigold flowers early morning on Diwali in Mumbai. Marigold flowers are popularly used as offerings and for rituals and decorations during Hindu festivals. Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo
  • Sikh men sit near lit lamps in front of the illuminated Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh shrines, on the occasion of Diwali festival and Bandi Chorh Diwas in Amritsar, India. Devotees started to visit the Golden Temple from pre-dawn hours to seek blessings. Raminder Pal Singh/EPA
    Sikh men sit near lit lamps in front of the illuminated Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh shrines, on the occasion of Diwali festival and Bandi Chorh Diwas in Amritsar, India. Devotees started to visit the Golden Temple from pre-dawn hours to seek blessings. Raminder Pal Singh/EPA
  • Widows, who have been abandoned by their families, light sparklers after offering prayers on the banks of the river Yamuna as part of Diwali celebrations in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on October 21, 2014. Ahmad Masood/Reuters
    Widows, who have been abandoned by their families, light sparklers after offering prayers on the banks of the river Yamuna as part of Diwali celebrations in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on October 21, 2014. Ahmad Masood/Reuters
  • Indian labourers carry a huge idol of Hindu goddess Kali ahead of the Kali Puja festival in Kolkata, India. Kali Puja is primarily celebrated in the West Bengal region coincides with the Diwali this year and fell on October 23. Bikas Das/AP Photo
    Indian labourers carry a huge idol of Hindu goddess Kali ahead of the Kali Puja festival in Kolkata, India. Kali Puja is primarily celebrated in the West Bengal region coincides with the Diwali this year and fell on October 23. Bikas Das/AP Photo
  • Youngsters light lamps on the eve of Diwali festival to mark the festival in Bhopal, India. Sanjeev Gupta/EPA
    Youngsters light lamps on the eve of Diwali festival to mark the festival in Bhopal, India. Sanjeev Gupta/EPA
  • Widows celebrate Diwali in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh October 21, 2014. The annual festival of lights will be celebrated across the country on October 23. Ahmad Masood /Reuters
    Widows celebrate Diwali in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh October 21, 2014. The annual festival of lights will be celebrated across the country on October 23. Ahmad Masood /Reuters

Fireworks light up the skies as Hindus celebrate Diwali - in pictures


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Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of Hinduism’s most important festivals dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth.