Celebrating Diwali

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India and for Hindus in particular.

It is celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people in the world's most populous nation and the diaspora. Over five days, people take part in festive gatherings, fireworks displays, feasts and prayer.

Diwali is derived from the word "Deepavali," which means "a row of lights." Celebrants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

The dates of the festival are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, typically falling in late October or early November. This year, the holiday is being celebrated on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

While Diwali is a major religious festival for Hindus, it is also observed by Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists. The origin story of Diwali varies depending on the region. All these stories have one underlying theme the victory of good over evil.

Explore the scenes of Diwali festivities around the world.

Ahead of Diwali celebrations, a shopkeeper arranges decorative lights for sale in Kolkata, India, on Oct 25, while women shop on the eve of Diwali in Jammu on Wednesday. (Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters, Channi Anand/The Associated Press)

In Canada, people are pictured purchasing sweets for Diwali at Aggarwal Sweets in Surrey, B.C., on Tuesday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

In Mumbai, homes decorated with lanterns and lights are seen inside a chawl residential building during Diwali on Thursday.

A girl places an earthen lamp beside a rangoli, an elaborate design of flowers and geometric patterns, on the floor as part of Diwali festivities in Ahmedabad, India, on Monday. 

Idols of Hindu god Ganesha and other deities are adorned with offerings as devotees take a holy dip in the Saryu river in Ayodhya, India, on Tuesday morning.

A Hindu devotee lights oil candles during Diwali at a temple in Yangon, Myanmar, on Thursday.

A girl watches firecrackers burn while another lights a firecracker during Diwali in Mumbai, India, on Thursday. (Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters, Rafiq Maqbool/The Associated Press)

Fireworks light up the city skyline during Diwali celebrations at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Wednesday.