Hindus mark Diwali, the festival of lights
Millions of Hindus across India and the world are celebrating the "festival of lights." Mindful of pollution, Indian authorities are making attempts to cut down on the number of firecrackers and light shows.
Good over evil
The Diwali festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. It commemorates the return of the Hindu god Rama from a 14-year exile and his victory over the demon king Ravana, who had abducted his wife, Sita, according to Hindu scriptures.
Spectacular fireworks
For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and it is marked by bursting firecrackers throughout the night, decorating houses with colorful lights and performing traditional rituals such as offering prayers.
Expressing gratitude
In many regions of India, Diwali also marks the end of the harvest season and farmers use the occasion to express their gratitude towards the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. People also offer prayers to the Hindu god Ganesh. Every year, on the eve of Diwali, families gather for the spectacular fireworks displays held all over the country.
Row of lights
The festival begins with the lighting of candles and oil lamps, called "diyas." Diwali is a contraction of the word "Deepavali", which means row of lights in Sanskrit. Streets and houses are decorated with colorful lights and people typically buy gold, including jewelry, coins and small statues of the elephant-headed Ganesh ahead of the festivities.
Guinness world record
The Indian city of Ayodhya on Saturday, October 26, 2019, set a Guinness world record by illuminating 409,000 oil lamps on the banks of river Sarayu as part of Diwali.
Environmental-friendly Diwali?
Massive fireworks across India add to the environmental pollution. This year, Indian authorities hope to reduce the environmental damage with low-emission firecrackers and light shows. But the plan has hurt some businesses associated with the Diwali festival.
Celebrated across the world
Diwali is celebrated not only in India, where more than 80% of the people identify themselves as Hindus, but also in other countries with large Hindu populations such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. Here, a group of Hindu devotees in Brussels, celebrate Diwali near Atomium area.