Diwali

People celebrate this festival with lots of enthusiasm by cleaning houses, exchanging gifts and lighting up their houses. As per the mythological beliefs, Lord ...

Wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous Diwali! Shubh Deepavali to you and your family. I wish you and your family a sparkling and Happy Diwali 2022.

Indians have celebrated Diwali as earthen oil lamps and dazzling lights lit up homes and streets across the...

Modi and his party had long pledged to build a temple to Ram where the Mughal-era mosque once stood, in a long-running controversy. Thousands of residents also lit lamps at their houses and temples across the city. The stunning spectacle along the shores of Saryu River was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To celebrate his return, people light the earthen lamps. Millions of Indians thronged crowded bazaars for shopping, bringing back the Diwali cheer that was dampened during the last two years due to coronavirus restrictions. Indians have celebrated Diwali as earthen oil lamps and dazzling lights lit up homes and streets across the country to mark the Hindu festival that symbolises the victory of light over darkness.

Hindus celebrate Diwali, but it is observed in different religions as well. Jains and Sikhs also have their own traditions, with their own religious ...

However, the Indian diaspora is much more widely spread, and Diwali is observed by people of Indian descent in almost every country on the planet. The festival is a celebration of all things luminary and settlements across the world, of all sizes, light up in festivity. It is the celebration of light over darkness and the triumph of good over evil; this name is chosen to signify this. Diwali falls within the Hindu lunar calendar month of Karthik and is chosen as it falls on Amavasya, which translates to moonless night. The day after Diwali is a little more subdued, and celebrations differ from area to area. Let's explore the history of the festival and some of the most interesting and important facts about this celebration.

The festival is widely associated with the goddess Lakshmi, who symbolises three virtues: wealth and prosperity, fertility and abundant crops, as well as good ...

Traditionally, it was one of the few days when brothers could visit the homes of their married sisters. According to legend, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, visits her devotees and bestows gifts and blessings upon each of them. The day is celebrated by early morning religious rituals and festivities follow on. [widely associated with the goddess Lakshm](https://inews.co.uk/news/diwali-2022-when-date-start-hindu-festival-lights-five-days-how-celebrated-1918366?ico=in-line_link)i, who symbolises three virtues: wealth and prosperity, fertility and abundant crops, as well as good fortune. That means that this year, the specific day for Diwali itself is Monday 24 October. [Diwali is one of the biggest festivals ](https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/diwali-explained-what-festival-of-lights-means-hinduism-how-long-celebrations-1283783?ico=in-line_link)in the Hindu, Sikh and Jain calendar.

A Tamil devotee lights an oil lamp at a religious ceremony during the Diwali or Deepavali festival at Ponnambalavaneshwaram Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, ...

Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump also held Diwali celebrations. Bush’s time in office. Last year, the Bidens lit a small lamp known as a diya at the White House to celebrate the festival.

Hundreds of millions of Indians are celebrating Diwali on Monday with earthen oil lamps, colourful floor decorations and bright lights.

[firecrackers](https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2021/11/02/indians-to-celebrate-green-diwali-as-top-court-bans-toxic-firecrackers/) and warned residents that flouting the ban will attract jail terms of six months. [worsening the air quality](https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2022/10/17/delhis-air-quality-deteriorates-to-severe-level-ahead-of-diwali/) as low wind speeds mean the pollutants are trapped in the lower atmosphere. [return home of Lord Ram](https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2022/10/05/indians-celebrate-dussehra-with-pomp-and-fervour/), his wife Sita and brother Laxman after 14 years in exile, after killing the 10-headed demon king Ravana who had abducted Sita.

President William Ruto has sent a special Diwali message to the Hindu community in Kenya. “We wish all those celebrating Diwali a happy and rewarding ...

“We know we have lived a fulfilling life when our utterances and actions have lit the paths of prosperity for others. It also marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. “We wish all those celebrating Diwali a happy and rewarding festival.

As fellow South Africans, we join you in celebrating the annual Festival of Lights. Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ...

Diwali thus is a time to reflect and celebrate the joyous achievements of all in our country. The Hindu Community is an integral part of South Africa’s rich multicultural tapestry. The universal message of Diwali resonates with all of us.

It is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the Hindu religion and is characterised by the use of stunning lights, candles, and oil lamps as well as ...

May the merriment of this wonderful festival of Diwali fill your life with infinite joy. However, according to the [Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/) saying ‘Happy Diwali’ is okay but there are longer greetings available which you can use. By this, chances are you know someone who is connected to the festival and you may want to pass on your best wishes but say something beyond only ‘Happy Diwali’. Every year, Diwali occurs after the conclusion of the harvest to coincide with the new moon that comes out between October and November - it symbolises the triumph of knowledge over ignorance or, in other words, light over darkness. Reportedly, the word Diwali (or Deepavali) comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “rows of lighted lamps”. [Sikhs](/topic/sikhs) and some Buddhists all over the world celebrating it.

On Monday, Oct. 24, millions of Hindus across the world will celebrate what is for many the largest and most important holiday of the year — Diwali, ...

Regardless of the differences in how Diwali is celebrated, its essence lies in the lessons told from these stories — good over evil and light over darkness. In southern India, Diwali celebrates the day that Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, defeated the demon Narakasura. However, most stories from western India are related to Lord Vishnu, the Hindu deity of creation, protection and transformation, who has 10 primary avatars, or forms. The fifth and final day is Bhau-Beej, also called Bhai Dooj. Rangolis, which are colorful designs made of sand, will adorn the floor and entryways to the house. Diwali gets its name from the Sanskrit word, Deepavali, which means “row of lights.” Diwali is not limited to Hindus, as Sikhs, Jains and Newar Buddhists also have their own celebrations.

A devotee holds an oil lamp while offering prayers during Hindu festival of Diwali at a temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Oct. 24, 2022.

Diwali, one of the most popular Hindu festivals, is celebrated by devotees all over the world. Also known as the festival of lights, it symbolises the ...

Diwali, the famous Indian festival of light, usually celebrated with crackers, gifts and sweetmeats, returns to Dubai with much-anticipated pomp following.

We as a community have never felt away from home for the warmth, openness and hospitality extended by the local communities.” So, every single celebration of ours is done with everybody in mind; we celebrate Diwali, Christmas, New Year, and even Ramadan,” he said, adding that Iftar is made available for all 30 days in the Sikh place of worship for those who observe the Islamic tradition. Now that Dubai has successfully helped bring the pandemic to a close, we are all free to congregate and celebrate,” said Karani. Dubai surely knows how to be outstanding at this, even here, building upon building all over Dubai look like they are ready for the next global event,” he told Al Arabiya English. The Hindu place of worship was built in 1959 on land allotted by the late Dubai ruler. The Indian consulate, for instance, organized a “special reception” for the local diplomatic community and “Emirati brothers and sisters to mark ‘International Day of Diplomats’ with a Diwali spirit,” said Puri.

The UAE capital will be celebrating Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, in a grand fashion over the next two weeks. From Monday, the day of the festival, ...

The grand prize, which will be announced on November 7, will include two business class air tickets to India, diamond jewellery worth Dh5,000 by Zen Diamond and 200 thousand Darna points worth Dh10,000. At Capila Pool Bar & Grill, Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, guests will enjoy a Diwali-themed light projection on the resort’s facade, complemented by bhangra dance performances around the poolside as well as a delicious Indian barbecue spread over two days on October 29 and 30. There will be musical performances at Etihad Arena, ever popular bhangra dance and drummers at Yas Bay Waterfront, fabulous food from celebrity Indian chefs, 3D light show and lots of prizes to win too.

Dr Aman Puri, consul-general of India, quoted Prime Minister Modi during the celebration saying that the Indian diaspora are the permanent ambassadors of the ...

Prominent Emirati member and Former Diplomat Mirza Al Sayegh who was also one of the key attendees said, “I'd like to say Happy Diwali to everyone. I must say that our community is truly the living bridge between the two countries." are truly our permanent ambassadors, helping the relationship between the two countries."

Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains across the Indian subcontinent — and in Greater Columbus — are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, this week.

The holiday is also a celebration of Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. and an Annakut celebration on Wednesday. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America here: (This year, lighters of firecrackers in Delhi could face up to Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains across the Indian subcontinent — and in Greater Columbus — are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, this week. This is symbolized by the millions of candles, lights and fireworks illuminating villages, towns and cities over the holiday. On the third day, people place vermillion powder on the foreheads of cows. Both crows and dogs are given special food, and dogs are garlanded with marigold flowers. “We worship dogs because they protect us.” The most important celebration, Laxmi Puja, occurs on Monday with the new moon. Bengali-speakers in eastern India also worship Kali, an all-powerful goddess, during Diwali. [concentrated](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/08/17/6-facts-about-jains-in-india/) in western India, the holiday [marks](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jain-perspective-diwali_b_1032617) the attainment of enlightenment by the spiritual teacher Mahavira, in 527 B.C.E.

Homes and balconies across the Emirates are decked out with strings of lights and flowers this week in honour of the five-day festival of lights, which started ...

Wishing them a happy festival," he said on Twitter. "On the behalf of the people of the UAE, we congratulate all those who celebrate Diwali. On the behalf of the people of the UAE, we congratulate all those who celebrate Diwali.

We have last-minute recipes for the festival of lights and weeknight recipes that make use of delicata and butternut squash.

[subscription](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription/cooking.html?campaignId=79RLUhttps://www.nytimes.com/subscription/cooking.html?campaignId=6XQHR&campaign_id=58&emc=edit_ck_20220822&instance_id=69954&nl=cooking®i_id=42927554&segment_id=102063&te=1&user_id=e59d390ca2470958f2792a3e0e8e4639) for the recipes. Find that recipe [here](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022791-brown-butter-orzo-with-butternut-squash?action=click&module=Global%2520Search%2520Recipe%2520Card&pgType=search&rank=1). [affection](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9P-fIgVzY0) for the musician Jonathan Richman and got to see him perform again last week in Williamsburg. [cornbread](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022722-cornbread) to serve alongside, or a sweeter, moist-centered [pumpkin bread](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020571-pumpkin-bread) (which is really cake, who are we kidding?). [peanut laddoo buckeye balls](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020349-peanut-laddoo-buckeye-balls?action=click&module=Collection%2520Page%2520Recipe%2520Card®ion=Diwali%2520Recipes&pgType=collection&rank=3) (above), a favorite in our house that riffs on the [classic Midwestern candy](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018639-peanut-butter-balls?action=click&module=Global%2520Search%2520Recipe%2520Card&pgType=search&rank=2). Or these savory [four-cheese flatbreads](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022613-four-cheese-flatbreads?action=click&module=Global%2520Search%2520Recipe%2520Card&pgType=search&rank=3), which come together quickly using premade naan, flatbread or pita. [split pea soup](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019881-split-pea-soup) in summer, but it’s ideal as we pull out our slippers and turn on the heat. You can also check us out on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/c/NYTCooking), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@nytcooking?lang=en) and [I made my brown butter orzo with butternut squash](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj6HCy-pjcM/?hl=en). And Vallery Lomas’s simple [roasted butternut squash](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023560-chili-and-cinnamon-roasted-butternut-squash), spiked with cayenne and cinnamon, is an easy, fragrant side dish that you might want to bookmark for Thanksgiving. And I haven’t been able to stop making Tejal Rao’s cardamom-scented [shrikhand](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018236-shrikhand-sweet-strained-yogurt?action=click&module=Collection%2520Page%2520Recipe%2520Card®ion=Diwali%2520Recipes&pgType=collection&rank=8) (sweetened strained yogurt studded with pistachios) since she [wrote about it](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/31/magazine/when-its-too-hot-for-cooking-try-yogurt-for-dessert.html) in 2016. Regardless, you can browse [our collection](https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/36172702-diwali-recipes) of Diwali recipes for all manner of inspiration. [Diwali](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/17/dining/diwali-mithai-sweets.html), a five-day festival of lights observed throughout South Asia and its diaspora.

Diwali took center stage at The Pierre in New York City, where Christian Louboutin, Falguni & Shane Peacock, Pete Buttigieg, and others partied the night ...

What a fun way to celebrate the holiday!” exclaimed Kal Penn, wearing a glimmering red and blue Harleen Kaur jacket. Anjula Acharia, wearing Falguni Shane Peacock, shared similar excitement for the holiday: “Diwali is so important to me because it’s an expression of my culture, the beauty, the elegance, the colors, and an opportunity to show how much fun we are.” Falguni and Shane Peacock, two of India’s [top fashion designers](https://www.vogue.com/article/beyonce-jay-z-blue-ivy-wearable-art-gala), co-hosted the party and dressed many attendees. We really want to put Diwali on the map.” Diwali is a Hindu holiday celebrating the victory of light and good over darkness and evil. It’s common to light oil-filled clay diyas in order to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and Ganesh, the god of wisdom and good luck.

Every Diwali celebration includes an elaborate spread of Indian sweet and savory treats. Here are two to try at home.

Sprinkle a bit of red chile powder and black salt on top. [Diwali (aka Deepavali or Dipavali), the festival of lights, ](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/11/02/diwali-holiday-2021-when-does-diwali-start-what-its-meaning/6208901001/)begins on Oct. [Raw kale can be tough. - Brush a cutting board and rolling pan with ½ teaspoon ghee. Add another 2 tablespoons of room-temperature water to make a firm dough. Remove, using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towel. Roll each piece with a rolling pin until it's 5 inches wide. This recipe is a personal recipe from Bharti Sanghavi. Note: Ghee is clarified butter that is sold at Indian markets and at many other grocers. This recipe is from "Beyond the Curry with Bharti," by Bharti Sanghavi. Every Diwali celebration includes an elaborate spread of Indian sweet and savory treats. Diwali lasts five days and is arguably the most wonderful time of the year for the millions of people across the globe who practice the Hindu, Sikh and Jain religions.

What makes Diwali so special? Imy Brighty-Potts asked three chefs to share some of their favourite family feasts.

She adds: "The dish means a lot to me as it reminds me of my family back home, especially my mum, sisters and aunties who taught me to cook from a young age. "No matter how many complicated and complex dishes are developed, I believe it is the simplest dishes that stay close to the heart. "Every Diwali before the pandemic, I would cook up a big pot of my chickpea curry and invite all of the family over. They are fluffy, packed with flavour and so comforting and nostalgic." The pillowy soft paneer takes on the warm marinade for a delicious combination of flavours." "Diwali is a true celebration of Indian cuisine.

Clay lamps, or diyas, are lit and placed around the entrances to Hindu homes the night before the new moon in the Hindu month of Kartika.

The Emirates marked the festival of lights with fireworks, bazaars and special offers and hosted a range of activities, ensuring memorable experiences for ...

Dubai hosted live entertainment and contests to win gold. Earlier today, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had congratulated all those who celebrate Diwali “on the behalf of the people of the UAE”. The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has wished peace, prosperity and happiness to everyone in the Emirates and around the world celebrating Diwali, the Indian festival of light.

In a world where there is strife and unrest on so many fronts, at the forefront of which is the dark ominous cloud of impending nuclear warfare, any ray of ...

It is this very respect and honour which can lead to the light of tolerance, unity, harmony and ultimately peace in our world. The significance of the celebration varies from area to area, whether celebrating the homecoming of Rama after defeating the 10-headed demon king, Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura or the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu to name a few. The term Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word dipavali which translates to ‘row of lights’.

Diwali is here and amid the flood of sweets, foods and never ending parties, it is hard to manage our health and nutrition and we end up piling on a kilo or ...

It is very important to take care of your packend - the kitchen. It might be wise to abstain from alcohol and sugar for a month after the festivities. Clear your kitchen of all the extra sweets, fried foods and other leftovers from the celebrations. It is important to be aware of how much you consume, even if it is simple to overindulge in sweets and other delicacies during celebrations. Instead of eating and snacking every now and then, take a time out, pull out a plate, put in the things you want to eat, sit down and eat. The health expert advised, “Don’t starve yourself on the days you have to cheat. Pick your favorite sweet: With Diwali here, the house is going to be filled with all sorts of sweets. Instead of eating everything that comes your way, pick your favorite sweet, have a small portion of it, eat slowly and savor each bite. Eat when you are hungry, always rate your hunger levels on a scale of 1 to 10. Diwali is here and amid the flood of sweets, foods and never ending parties, it is hard to manage our health and nutrition and we end up piling on a kilo or two. Hence consuming a protein-rich meal before a party will ensure that you eat less for the subsequent meal. [Diwali](https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/diwali) is the most enthralling time of the year, from boxes of decorations to be put up to making rangolis, from sumptuous meals to be cooked and eaten to attending parties and get-togethers.

President Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris attend a reception to celebrate Diwali in the East Room.

– President Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris attend a reception to celebrate Diwali in the East Room. You can watch President Biden, First Lady Dr.

Vice President Kamala Harris hosted an intimate celebration of Diwali at her residence in DC, attended by South Asian leaders in politics, film and TV, ...

It sounds cliche to say that “you have to see it to be it”; it’s also not entirely true, as many of the trailblazing guests were the first to mark a certain level of achievement in their fields. And here we all were, together, celebrating a holiday and wearing clothes that people may have mocked us for in the past or that made us targets of hate. They then handed out sparklers, the handheld fireworks that are commonly lit on Diwali to symbolize the idea of seeking light in the darkness. But it was beautiful to turn around everywhere and see South Asians of all ages meeting and greeting each other, congratulating each other on their latest personal or professional accomplishments, and the young dancers taking it all in — all of us, quite literally, seeing it. To many of us, one of the seemingly small but standout moments of Bridgerton season 2 is when Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) oils her sister Edwina’s (Charithra Chandran) hair: a tradition many of us grew up with, one that brings us immense comfort, and also one that caused others to mock us. She wrote on her Instagram that she realized “each one of the guests at the party did have something in common: we were all self-made. After all, Harris is a heartbeat away from the presidency, the right-hand woman to one of the most influential leaders in the world — and a powerful figure in her own right. (The event was off the record, but I’m writing this with permission from her office.) She spoke of her memories celebrating Diwali in India as a child, and the universal relevance of what the holiday stands for: light over darkness, and enlightenment over ignorance. … It wasn’t our pedigree, but rather the degree of effort we worked on our goals, that unites us. But the fact of it happening on one of our most important holidays — the holiday that is all about the triumph of good over evil, of light over dark — was something I couldn’t (and still don’t) understand. These are all people I have watched work for years and years to get to positions of power and influence, and I know for a fact it wasn’t always easy (if it ever was). The values we hold, the policies we enact or support, the intersectionality of true justice: these are all things that matter just as much, if not more, than the identity of any one person in any one position.

Gurung was one of the hosts of Diwali New York, a glitzy soiree held Saturday at The Pierre, fittingly a Taj Hotel. The party, now in its third year, highlights ...

Ratan Sharma, a manager at India Sari Palace, says sweet shops and grocery stores are the biggest beneficiaries of the Diwali shopping. The party was at time raucous, with several bear hugs that lifted grown men clear off the ground. In the stands outside Apna Bazaar, a grocery store, a sea of small clay pots and wicks for Diwali lamps lay alongside fresh bunches of cilantro and above bags of onions. Carrying a basket brimming with tea lights and other decorations, the Delhi native said her Diwali celebrations in the United States are usually intimate family affairs because most people prefer to pray in their own homes. “We’ve always been known for flowers, but just for these three days we showcase all the temple offerings,” Pratik Shetty said, motioning to 3D stickers, garlands, stencils for the colored powder designs known as rangoli, pictures and, naturally, flowers. The party, now in its third year, highlights Diwali by bringing together high-powered South Asians with other New York luminaries — people who “the world saw as leaders and role models,” said host Anita Chatterjee, CEO of A-Game Public Relations. Chatterjee said her firm helped connect some non-South Asian attendees to designers, including fellow hosts Falguni and Shane Peacock. Jackson Heights is a multiethnic, multi-religious neighborhood, and some stores still featured signs offering Eid sales. When asked if she misses Diwali in India, Pal — who has lived in Queens for almost 25 years — responded: “Yes! Outside a Patel Brothers grocery store branch, Bhanu Shetty has run a pop-up Diwali stall for two decades. Five miles east of the five-star hotel, those already familiar with the holiday were embarking on preparations for their personal celebrations. But, he said, the whole city “is not celebrating yet — so I’m just giving them a year or two.”

Indians across the country are celebrating the Hindu festival that symbolises the victory of light over darkness.

But on the night of Diwali, people also light up the sky with firecrackers, and the smoke causes smog that sometimes takes days to clear. [Diwali](/news/2020/11/14/diwali-2020-when-is-it-and-how-is-it-celebrated) on Monday as bright earthen oil lamps and colourful lights lit up homes and streets across the country to mark the Hindu festival that symbolises the victory of light over darkness. Indians across the country are celebrating the Hindu festival that symbolises the victory of light over darkness.

NEW YORK (AP) — The week dawned gloomily in New York, but the drab mist was little match for the holiday at hand: Diwali, the festival of lights that ...

Ratan Sharma, a manager at India Sari Palace, says sweet shops and grocery stores are the biggest beneficiaries of the Diwali shopping. Padma Lakshmi and Sarita Choudhury embraced for the camera, with the former demonstrating some hip-shaking thumkas. Carrying a basket brimming with tea lights and other decorations, the Delhi native said her Diwali celebrations in the United States are usually intimate family affairs because most people prefer to pray in their own homes. In the stands outside Apna Bazaar, a grocery store, a sea of small clay pots and wicks for Diwali lamps lay alongside fresh bunches of cilantro and above bags of onions. The party, now in its third year, highlights Diwali by bringing together high-powered South Asians with other New York luminaries — people who “the world saw as leaders and role models,” said host Anita Chatterjee, CEO of A-Game Public Relations. Five miles east of the five-star hotel, those already familiar with the holiday were embarking on preparations for their personal celebrations.

Jill and I wish a happy Diwali to the more than one billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists celebrating this Festival of Lights in the United States, ...

American history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh reality that that we have never fully lived up to it. On this day, we give thanks for the optimism, courage, and empathy demonstrated by the incredible South Asian community all across America. Jill and I wish a happy Diwali to the more than one billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists celebrating this Festival of Lights in the United States, India, and around the world.

Environment Canada is warning air quality across parts of Toronto and surrounding areas could deteriorate tonight as expected Diwali fireworks combine with ...

The special air quality statement says Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and the surrounding areas could be impacted, with the agency warning people with smoke sensitivities to consider taking steps to reduce their exposure. The spokesperson says it's believed to be the first time an air quality statement has been issued in relation to holiday fireworks, in part because similar atmospheric conditions during last year's Diwali celebrations led to elevated air quality risks. As a result, firework smoke could stay closer to the ground rather than mix in the atmosphere, leading to a possible air quality deterioration.

President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris host a Diwali celebration reception at White House on Monday.

In India, people celebrated Diwali on Monday as bright earthen oil lamps and dazzling, colorful lights lit up homes and streets across the country to mark the Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Watch in the player around. The event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Wishing a happy Diwali to more than one billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists celebrating this Festival of Lights in the United States, India, ...

A home that belongs to all of you," the first lady said. Each day of the festival is associated with six different principal stories. Moreover, US vice-president Kamala Harris also delivered remarks from the White House on the occasion of Diwali celebrations. This is the first Diwali reception of this scale in the White House ever to be held. We have more Asian Americans than ever before in history and we want to thank you for making the Diwali celebration a joyous part of American culture," US President Joe Biden said during a reception to celebrate Diwali at the White House. As the world celebrates this gathering of light, he said, "as this community has experienced too often--that there is always darkness lurking.