Diwali, or Deepavali, meaning “a row of lights”, is one of India’s most enchanting festivals, a luminous ode to victory, love, and renewal. At its heart, it celebrates the homecoming of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile and his triumph over the demon king Ravana. As the story goes, the people of Ayodhya lit rows of oil lamps to welcome their king, a gesture that still glows through time, in every diya lit across the country.
The festival unfolds over five radiant days, each carrying its own rhythm of ritual and warmth. Homes are swept clean, thresholds bloom with rangoli, and the scent of sweets fills the air. The third night, the brightest and most sacred, is devoted to Lakshmi Puja, when families invite the goddess of wealth and prosperity into their homes. Lamps flicker in her honour, prayers are whispered, and the night sky sparkles with fireworks.
Across India, Diwali wears many colours. In Bengal, it becomes Kali Puja, a night of devotion to the fierce goddess. In Varanasi, the ghats shimmer during Dev Deepawali, when it’s said the gods themselves descend to the Ganges. In Maharashtra, it begins with Vasu Baras, honouring cows, symbols of abundance. In the South, dawn brings sacred oil baths and tales of Krishna’s victory over Narakasura.
More than a festival, Diwali is a feeling, a reminder that darkness fades, light endures, and every spark carries the promise of new beginnings.
