Diwali: Festival of Lights

Diwali, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” is recognized as India’s biggest holiday and takes place over five days. The festival occurs annually each autumn, often falling in either October or November depending on the lunar calendar.

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India — and for Hindus in particular. It is celebrated across faiths by over a billion people in the world’s most populous nation and the diaspora. Over five days, people participate in festive gatherings, fireworks displays, feasts and prayer.

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.”

Deepavali and Diwali, although spelled differently, are both commemorated as the “Festival of Lights.” Both are known as the ‘Feast of Lights,’ but the more precise term is Deepavali, which is derived from Sanskrit and means “a line of lamps.” However, in North India, the word Diwali is commonly used.