Diwali

Millions of people celebrate Diwali this week. Here is what you should know

5:00am October 30, 2024

Known as the “Festival of Lights,” Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in India and across the Indian diaspora, including in the U.S. Many celebrate it with food, gifts and fireworks.

People light lamps on the banks of the river Saryu in Ayodhya, India, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022.

Religion

Residents across India celebrate Diwali with festivities and dazzling lights

3:42am October 24, 2022

by The Associated Press

Indians celebrated Diwali on Monday as bright oil lamps and colorful lights lit up homes and streets across the country to mark the Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.

People watch a laser show on the banks of the river Sarayu during Deepotsav celebrations on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali in Ayodhya on November 3, 2021.

Diwali will be honored as an official holiday in New York City schools

3:06am October 21, 2022

by Ayana Archie

Diwali celebrates lightness over darkness and is celebrated by more than 1 billion Hindu people each year. It also has its own versions in the Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism religions.

People watch a laser show on the banks of the river Sarayu during Deepotsav celebrations on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali in Ayodhya on Wednesday. The five-day festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness.

Here's how India is celebrating Diwali

5:33pm November 04, 2021

Hindus in India and across the world are celebrating Diwali, the five-day festival of lights. Here's what celebrations look like across India.

Diwali is known as the "festival of lights." But really, it's more than that. It is a new year for Hindus across the globe. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.

How Hindus In Wyoming Are Celebrating Diwali, the 'Festival Of Lights,' Amid Pandemic

2:57pm November 14, 2020

by Naina Rao

The holiday, which marks the new year, is observed over five days in various ways, from decorating with lights, praying at the temple and feasts with loved ones. Much of that is different this year.

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The fireworks of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, add smoke to the already polluted skies — and raise concerns about the impact of all that pollution on coronavirus cases. Here, a celebration takes place last year in Ahmedabad, India.

Fireworks Of Diwali Spark Worries About Pollution ... And Coronavirus Cases

6:11pm November 12, 2020

by Sushmita Pathak

Air quality is awful in New Delhi in winter. Smoke from the fireworks of the Hindu festival of lights adds to the problem. That's a cause for concern during a pandemic caused by a respiratory virus.

Fireworks are set off on the eve of last year's Diwali festival.

Fear Of Toxic Smog Leads India To Limit Diwali Fireworks

3:57pm October 17, 2017

by Julie McCarthy

The festival has been blamed for cloaking New Delhi and other cities in an unhealthy haze, but the solution has drawn plenty of criticism.

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Hindu activists protest against a court-ordered ban on the sale of firecrackers to curtail air pollution in the Indian capital by setting off firecrackers in New Delhi on Friday.

World News

Diwali Fireworks Are Limited In India Over Toxic Smog Concerns

2:25pm October 13, 2017

by Bill Chappell

Diwali — the Hindu festival of lights — has been blamed for cloaking New Delhi and other cities in unhealthy smog from massive amounts of fireworks that are set off day and night.

An Indian worker sweeps a street in a cloud of choking smog in New Delhi on Monday, the day after fireworks for the Diwali festival. After millions of firecrackers were lit, New Delhi's air pollutants shot up far higher than normal levels.

World News

PHOTOS: After Diwali Fireworks, Smog Shrouds New Delhi

1:11pm October 31, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

New Delhi suffers from intense air pollution every winter. On Monday, the stifling smog was particularly acute — in part because of the countless firecrackers set off for Diwali this weekend.

The South Asian holiday of Diwali is often called the festival of lights. Author Parth Shah sometimes thinks of it as Christmas with fireworks.

Diwali Dilemma: My Complicated Relationship With The Swastika

6:30pm October 28, 2016

by Parth Shah

While most Westerners see the swastika as a symbol of Nazi Germany or white supremacy, it has been a symbol of good fortune in Asia thousands of years before Hitler.

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