Diwali

Practice

An important festival that marks the beginning of the Hindu year, Diwali lights up every Hindu home. Diwali is folk rendering of Deepawali, which word means rows of lamps. Small earthen lamps - shallow, semi-spherical pans, which contain vegetable oil and a wick each - decorate homes. On Diwali day, people wear new clothes, eat well and play with fireworks. It commemorates Ram's return to Ayodhya after killing Ravana.

Time:Twenty days after Dussehra, on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin (October/November)

· Place: Most parts of India.