The festival of lights: on every doorstep, , sweets shared with neighbours and skies full of light.
The story
- Marks Rama's return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his victory over Ravana: light over darkness.
- Five days, each with its own rituals.
- The same night, Jains mark Mahavira's nirvana and Sikhs the release of Guru Hargobind.
What happens
Markets light up
Families buy gold, silver and new utensils; homes are cleaned and decorated.
The first
appears on doorsteps and the first lamps are lit at dusk.
The main night
Evening puja, every window lit with , sweets shared and fireworks overhead.
offerings
Temples offer mountains of food, shared afterwards with visitors.
Siblings' day
Sisters bless their brothers and the festival winds down with family meals.
Best places to see it
–Ayodhya Deepotsav
Uttar Pradesh Tourism's Deepotsav, when lakhs of are lit in Ayodhya.
Not on the map yet: we couldn't confirm its exact spot.
What to eat
Sweets are made, bought and shared with neighbours at Diwali: laddoos, barfi, gulab jamun, jalebi and kaju katli.
Sweet shops in every town; boxes of mithai are the usual Diwali gift.
A jaggery and rice-flour sweet, deep-fried, made for Diwali in Tamil homes, alongside ellu urundai and coconut barfi.
Homes and sweet shops in Tamil Nadu.
A dense gram-flour fudge, one of the Gujarati Diwali sweets along with basundi, golpapdi and doodh pak.
Sweet shops across Gujarat.
Know before you go
- Book trains and flights weeks ahead, because this is India's busiest travel week.
- Air quality can drop sharply after fireworks, so carry a mask.
- Accept sweets when offered; it's part of the welcome.
- Festive Indian wear is the norm on the main night.
Getting there
Diwali is celebrated in every city and village, so you can join in wherever you are. For a big celebration, see the places listed above.
Organised by
Community celebration
There's no single organiser. Local committees, temples and families make it happen, so welcome and etiquette matter more than tickets.