Home > Activities > Diwali

Diwali

A festival celebrating the victory of light over darkness

Diwali is perhaps India’s best-known festival. The lighting of lamps against the darkness symbolizes the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. Several deities are revered during the festival and the story of each epitomizes one of the many symbolic ideals, and can offer an interesting glimpse into Indian mythology and how it has shaped our beliefs and customs.

Diwali is celebrated in different ways across the country: in Varanasi, the Ganges river sparkles with a million oil lamps that float away bearing prayers and hopes of the devout; on the western coast, paper effigies with firecrackers are set alight to represent the vanquishing of evil; in Uttar Pradesh, dance-dramas retell the myths and legends; and in villages across India, colorful, local fairs and fetes spring up to celebrate the festival.

Image Credits: Travis Wise (CC-BY 2.0)

Activities from the Destination

Places of interest to weave into your itinerary

Anokhi Museum

Trace the legacy of blockprinted textiles
Architecture Trails

Humayun's tomb or Qutab Minar
Art Design Studios

An intimate insight into the crafts & creations of contemporary artists
Bangla Sahib Gurudwara

Discover Sikh heritage & culture in Delhi
Block-printing workshop

The art that inspired the printing press
Chomping past Chandni Chowk

Take in Chandni Chowk's culinary delights
Contemporary Art Trails

Delve into New Delhi's contemporary art scene
Crafts Museum

Celebrating traditional crafts and skilled industries

Related Activities

Immersive, thematic activities to explore destinations

Ambubachi Mela

Glimpse the Tantric traditions of a fertility festival

Guwahati
Theyyam

Watch an animistic festival in all its glory

Kannur
Kochi-Muziris Biennale

Delve into one of India's most definitive art festivals

Cochin
Ramnavami Ramlila

Experience Varanasi's Dussehra celebrations of dance-dramas

Varanasi
Pongal

Celebrate Tamil Nadu's most popular festival

Chennai
Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF)

Witness folk music traditions from across the world

Jodhpur
Khajuraho Dance Festival

Experience traditional Indian dance performances

Khajuraho
Mahashivratri

Celebrate the creation of the cosmos

Varanasi