Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the festival of lights, a holiday celebrated by over one billion Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs in South Asia and around the world. For Hindus, it is the day that Rama, a figure in Hindu mythology, returned from his 14-year exile to his home in Ayodha. For Jains, adherents of the sage Mahavir, it commemorates the day that he attained Moksha, or enlightenment. Sikhs celebrate Diwali as the day that the guru Hargobind and 52 princes were released from prison by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. To celebrate, people put up diyas, or lights, to commemorate the occasion. The celebration lasts five days, with fireworks, sweets, gift-giving, and family gatherings. Typically, Diwali is celebrated in late October through early November, depending on the lunar calendar.
Sri Lankan Hindus offer prayers during Diwali at a Hindu temple in Colombo on Oct. 26.
547946_111026_2pk2.jpg
Indian Sikh devotees light candles as they pay their respects at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Oct. 26.
547947_111026_3pk2.jpg
Gurmeet Singh and Puneet Kaur lights lamps as they pay their respects at the illuminated Sikh Shrine in Amritsar on Oct. 26.
547948_111026_4pk2.jpg
Fireworks explode on a road in Hyderabad on Oct. 26.
547949_111026_6pk2.jpg
Children watch as Indian Border Security Force personnel light lamps to place before an idol of the goddess Kali as they celebrate Diwali at the Fulbari Border outpost at the India-Bangladesh border on the outskirts of Siliguri on Oct. 26.
547950_111026_7pk2.jpg
An Indian woman buys marigolds at a market on the eve of Diwali in Hyderabad on Oct. 26. People typically decorate the entrances to their homes and businesses with banana leaves and marigolds during the holiday.
547951_111026_8pk2.jpg
An Indian vendor selling earthenware diyas waits for customers at a roadside stall in New Delhi on Oct. 26.
547952_111026_9pk2.jpg
A Sri Lankan Hindu priest offers prayers during Diwali at a temple in Colombo on Oct. 26.
547953_111026_10pk2.jpg
A Nepalese Hindu woman offers fruit to a cow, regarded as an incarnation of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, Laxmi, in Kathmandu on Oct. 26. Hindus across Nepal worship cows on the third day of the Tihar (or Diwali) festival.
547954_111026_11pk2.jpg
Indian farmer Bhagwanbhai Patel checks the quality of Dutch roses at Vandan Floritech greenhouse in the village of Kasindra, around 15 miles from Ahmedabad on the eve of Diwali on Oct. 25. During Diwali, the demand for flowers increases as they are given as gifts.
547955_111026_12pk2.jpg
An Indian artist, Mulee, paints an idol of the Hindu goddess Laxmi at her workshop in Amritsar ahead of Diwali on Oct. 19.
More from The World in Photos This WeekRock the VoteFace OffPreparing for a Very Cold War
Is the White House prepared to deal with the remarkable growth of artificial intelligence? What are the current and potential risks to Americans? If governments should create rules around th...Show moree regulation of AI, what considerations should guide the creation of those rules?
Alondra Nelson is the architect of the White House’s “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.” Since it was published in October, AI has only become more central to our lives—and Nelson has stepped down from her role as the government’s head of science and technology.
How should policymakers think through the challenges presented by AI? Join Nelson for a wide-ranging discussion with FP’s Ravi Agrawal.
The war in Ukraine has propelled the United States and Europe closer on a variety of foreign-policy issues. But do Washington and Brussels agree on how to deal with Beijing’s growing clout...Show more?
The signs are mixed. The trans-Atlantic alliance NATO has formally declared China a strategic threat, but there are also emerging gaps in how various European capitals and Washington want to engage with Beijing. What exactly are these differences, and how will they impact the world’s relations with China?
Join FP’s Ravi Agrawal for a discussion with experts on both sides of the Atlantic: Cindy Yu, an assistant editor of the Spectator and host of its podcast Chinese Whispers; and James Palmer, author of FP’s weekly China Brief newsletter. FP subscribers can send in their questions in advance.
Over the last few years, the United States has moved to limit China’s technological rise. U.S.-led sanctions have imposed unprecedented limits on Beijing’s access to advanced computing c...Show morehips. In response, China has accelerated its own efforts to develop its technological industry and reduce its dependence on external imports.
According to Dan Wang, a technology expert and visiting scholar at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center, China’s tech competitiveness is grounded in manufacturing capabilities. And sometimes China’s strategy beats America’s.
Where is this new tech war headed? How are other countries being impacted as a result? In what ways are they reassessing their relationships with the world’s largest economic superpowers? Join FP’s Ravi Agrawal in conversation with Wang for a discussion about China’s technological rise and whether U.S. actions can really stop it.
See what’s trending.
See what’s trending.
Most popular articles on FP right now.
Most popular articles on FP right now.
