Light darkness — and good beats evil. That’s a central message of the Diwali festival. Millions of people celebrate the event each year. They light candles, firecrackers, and fireworks. This festival lasts for five days. This year, it runs from November 10 to November 15. The main day of Diwali shined on November 12.
Diwali is the Festival of Lights. It’s one of the most important events in the Hindu religion. People mark the moment all over India. Diwali has spread to other parts of the world too. There are celebrations on almost every continent!
“Diwali is one of the best holidays ever!” a reader named Ishaan told News-O-Matic. “I always celebrate by making diyas.” Those are small lamps that people light during the festival. They’re often made of clay, but many people make another version out of paper. Ishaan said the diyas “light the way for the hero Ram.” That’s an important god in the Hindu religion.
Some lights were shining extra bright in 2023. A Diwali celebration at the Saryu River in Ayodhya, India, broke a Guinness world record. People there lit more than 2 million oil lamps! The lights burned for 45 minutes while the sound of Hindu religious songs rang out.
Another big part of Diwali is spending time with family and friends. People may light firecrackers, eat sweets, and wear new clothes for the festival. Some people make beautiful designs out of colored powder. This is called rangoli. The designs may use chalk, paint, and flower petals too!
There are also some challenges with this holiday. All the add a lot of smoke to India’s air. And the big Asian nation is already struggling with high levels of air pollution. Luckily, before the main day, rain and wind helped clear the air for Diwali.
This shows that even in dark times, light moments can still come out on top. And that’s what Diwali is all about!
Updated November 13, 2023, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
