India is truly sparkling!
It’s Diwali week, the incredible Hindu festival of lights, and India’s biggest public holiday. Prepare for a magnificent feast for the senses, filled with delectable sweets, spectacular fireworks, countless flickering oil lamps, and fragrant flower garlands.
Usually celebrated over several days in October or November, Diwali is a profound time for millions of families across India and the global Indian diaspora. It’s a period dedicated to joyous feasting, meaningful self-reflection, and heartfelt prayers for prosperity and good fortune.
Want to know more? Here’s your essential guide:
Diwali: The Core Essence
Diwali isn’t just for Hindus; it’s also a significant celebration for followers of other faiths, including Jainism and Sikhism. At its heart, Diwali beautifully symbolizes the victory of good over evil, or light piercing through darkness. It’s a time when people lovingly clean their homes, engage in vibrant celebrations, and collectively wish for abundant prosperity.
This ancient festival is deeply rooted in various powerful Hindu narratives.
For instance, many families in North India honor a segment of the epic Ramayana. This tale recounts how the valiant royal protagonist, Rama, with the devoted assistance of the monkey god Hanuman, triumphs over a formidable demon who had abducted his beloved princess, Sita.
Meanwhile, in South India, Diwali celebrations frequently draw from another grand Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, focusing on the divine hero Krishna’s victory over a demon king.
When and Where Does the Festivity Unfold?
Diwali is observed on a particularly sacred day in the Hindu calendar: the new moon during the lunar month of Kartik. In 2025, this significant new moon day spans October 20th and 21st.
Beyond India, Diwali is enthusiastically celebrated throughout South Asia, including countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal. It’s also a beloved tradition among the vast Indian diaspora worldwide, often marking the beginning of the Hindu new year for many communities.
Its cultural significance is growing even further afield; in the United States, Diwali has been recognized as an official holiday in states like California, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Notably, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared it a public school holiday in 2023.
Let’s Talk About the Divine Sweets!
First, a little context.
Diwali rituals honor various Hindu gods and goddesses for their victories over malevolent forces. These include Lakshmi, the revered goddess of prosperity; Ganesh, the beloved elephant-headed deity of good fortune and remover of all obstacles; and Kali, a powerful goddess often depicted wearing a necklace of skulls.
The celebrations span multiple days, featuring elaborate “pujas” (ceremonies) where participants light countless lamps and present offerings to the deities. It’s also customary for families to deep-clean their homes and acquire new items, symbolizing a fresh start.
These sacred offerings typically consist of fragrant incense, vibrant garlands of jasmine and marigolds, and an array of incredibly sweet delicacies. The belief is that these offerings enhance one’s path toward both material wealth and spiritual awakening.
Fair warning: some of these treats will definitely give your blood sugar a boost! Traditional Diwali sweets often feature kheel, a delightful sweetened puffed rice, and laddoos, which are hand-rolled balls of flour, ghee, and sugar, often as substantial as jawbreakers. In more modern celebrations, chocolates have also found their way into the festive spread.
And What About the Fireworks?
A quintessential part of welcoming Diwali across India involves lighting dazzling firecrackers. You’ll see everyone, even young children, joyfully waving sparklers in streets, parks, and backyards, painting the night sky with light.
While this burst of color is undeniably beautiful, the resulting fumes and smoke unfortunately contribute to poor air quality. This is particularly concerning during a season when India’s air pollution levels are often already quite unhealthy.
In a recent development, India’s Supreme Court eased a complete ban on fireworks in the capital, New Delhi. They permitted the sale of “green fireworks” for a limited period at the start of Diwali. However, many experts anticipated that despite these measures, Delhi’s air quality would remain severely unhealthy throughout the festive period.
Their predictions, unfortunately, proved accurate. By Monday afternoon, just hours into the final day of Diwali, authorities in Delhi reported that the city’s air quality had plummeted to officially hazardous levels.
Additional reporting for this piece was provided by Anupreeta Das and Suhasini Raj.