Diwali Festival of Lights

Celebrating Diwali Around the World

By Dilshad Ali

Diyas, or tiny clay pots, are filled with oil into which a cotton string wick is inserted and lit. These little beacons are then displayed in Hindu homes across India and around the world this month to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights that commemorates the victory of good over evil. Also known as Deepavali, this important Hindu holiday is a significant festival for Jains, Sikhs and even Buddhists. But more so for billions of Hindus the world over, Diwali is one of the most special times of the year.

Diwali is known to most as a time of celebration, shopping, eating good food, and displaying those beautiful little diyas. But its significance goes much deeper, and though it typically lasts five days, various groups in Hinduism celebrate it in different ways. The holiday follows a lunar calendar, and it centers on the new moon that ends the Hindu month of Ashwin. Want to learn more? Get immersed in the celebration of Diwali with these five common Diwali customs as celebrated by people around the world.