Hindus around the world have celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights. Also known as Deepavali and Tihar, Diwali is one of Hinduism's most important festivals, marking the homecoming of the god Lord Ram after vanquishing the demon king Ravana. The festival symbolises taking people from darkness to light in the victory of good over evil.
Hindus believe that on this auspicious day, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, enters their homes and brings good luck and prosperity. Traditionally, lamps are lit in every nook and corner of the house. Hindus decorate their houses with flowers and decorative lights, and wear new clothes. Later in the evening, entire cities are wreathed in smoke as millions of fireworks are lit.
IBTimes UK presents photos of colourful celebrations in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and the UK.
A girl lights candles on a cricket pitch in Allahabad, IndiaJitendra Prakash/ReutersDevotees lights oil lamps during Diwali at Ponnambalavaneshwaram Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri LankaDinuka Liyanawatte/ReutersBollywood actress Payal Ghosh celebrates the Hindu festival of lights in MumbaiAFPPeople decorate their houses with lanterns and lights as they celebrate the annual Hindu festival of Diwal in MumbaiDanish Siddiqui/ReutersYoung women light earthen lamps on a rangoli as they celebrate Diwali in Guwahati, IndiaBiju Boro/AFPSri Lankan Hindu devotees light oil lamps during Diwali at a temple in ColomboLakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFPMen arrange oil lamps to form the words 'Jai Hind' or victory to India, in AmritsarNarinder Nanu/AFPPeople light lamps arranged to form a tribute to fallen soldiers of the Indian Army in ChandigarhAjay Verma/ReutersA Pakistani Hindu woman offers prayers and lights an oil lamp to mark Diwali in LahoreArifn Ali/AFPOfferings of food are made to an idol of Lord Swaminarayan as part of a ritual to mark Annakut during Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrations at a temple in AhmedabadAmit Dave/ReutersIndian businessmen pray in front of their record-keeping books as part of a ritual to worship the Hindu deity of wealth, goddess Lakshmi in AhmedabadAmit Dave/ReutersA street vendor in Kathmandu sells coloured powder used for worship during the Tihar festival, as Diwali is known in NepalNavesh Chitrakar/ReutersA Hindu priest offers prayers to a cow during a religious ceremony celebrating Tihar, or Diwali, in Kathmandu, NepalNavesh Chitrakar/ReutersDevotees light candles at a Sikh temple in Chandigarh, India, during celebrations of Bandi Chhor Divas, which coincides with the Hindu festival of DiwaliAjay Verma/ReutersA Sikh devotee bathes in the holy sarovar (water tank) at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to mark Bandi Chhor DivasNarinder Nanu/AFPA Sikh devotee lights candles during Bandi Chhor Divas at the Golden Temple in AmritsarNarinder Nanu/AFPPeople watch fireworks at the Madan Mohan Malviya stadium in Allahabad, IndiaSanjay Kanojia/AFPFireworks explode as Indians celebrate the annual festival of Diwali in MumbaiAllison Joyce/Getty ImagesPeople light firecrackers to celebrate the annual festival of Diwali in MumbaiAllison Joyce/Getty ImagesA cyclist rides along a street as smog envelops a monument in New Delhi the day after Diwali. Smoke from millions of firecrackers caused air pollution to hit severe levelsMoney Sharma/AFPFireworks explode over the Wheel of Light during Diwali celebrations in Leicester, EnglandDarren Staples/ReutersA woman makes a rangoli, a picture made of coloured powders, during Diwali celebrations in Leicester, EnglandDarren Staples/Reuters
