Diwali – The Festival of Lights
The Hindu festival of Diwali is the perfect time to visit India as the whole country comes to life with fireworks, oil lamps and a riot of vibrant colours. It is a great festival to immerse yourself in, so why not plan a trip to India to experience Diwali in all its colourful glory.
What is Diwali?
Diwali is a joyous, happy five-day festival that represents the start of the Hindu New Year. It’s known as the ‘Festival of Lights’ because of all the fireworks, small clay lamps, and candles that are lit during the celebrations. These lights are said to represent the victory of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. Diwali also marks the bringing in of the harvest, as well as the start of a new year. In addition to decorating their homes with oil lamps, people also spring clean their houses and give one another presents.
Festival of Lights
It usually falls in October/November, although the actual dates of the festival are determined by the cycle of the moon. This year Diwali starts on Tuesday, the 6th of November and will continue for 5 days until Saturday, the 10th of November.
If you are thinking of visiting India to celebrate Diwali next year, the dates it starts on is Sunday, October 27 2019.
What to expect
Diwali is celebrated across India and you may find that certain cities celebrate it in slightly different ways, but overall the essence is the same and it is a fantastic festival to be a part of.
You will see lots of homes, hotels and restaurants across India all decorated with oil lamps, which are known as diyas, and these lights are characteristic of the festival. There may also be spectacular firework displays across many cities, so be sure to attend these.
Fireworks at Diwali
The food during Diwali is a real highlight and lots of Indian sweets are consumed during this time, as well as gifted, and it is also a time of feasting, so you will find a whole host of varieties of delicious food across India.
Top places to experience Diwali
If you want to visit India to celebrate Diwali, our top recommendations would be Mumbai, where the best view of the fireworks is on Marine Drive, Amritsar, where it is simply magical, or Jaipur where there are spectacular displays throughout the city and the markets are all illuminated.
Varanasi would also be a top suggestion, where you can see fireworks over the River Ganges.
Varanasi during Diwali
We can recommend some itineraries or help you create a bespoke itinerary to celebrate the festival of lights in India. Call Simply India Holidays by Somak on 0208 423 3000 or email
in***@so***.uk
and we will be delighted to help you plan your trip to Incredible India.
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