By Amanda Rose
Last week, millions of people across the world celebrated the Diwali Festival, an Indian holiday. The dates of Diwali change each year, but it usually falls between mid-October and mid-November. The celebration lasts for five days but people spend prior days preparing for it.
This festival is known as the “festival of lights”, and the purpose is to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. Families from India celebrate Diwali by decorating their homes with small lamps and other colorful lights. Streets and buildings are also decorated with lights and there is lots of singing, dancing and even fireworks. The purpose of all these festivities is to help scare away evil spirits.
Like New Year’s day on January 1st, many people from India consider Diwali to be a fresh start. They clean, renovate, and decorate their homes as well as buy new clothes in preparation for the upcoming year. Diwali is also a time to settle debts and make peace. It’s common for people to reach out to loved ones who may have lost touch and organise family reunions.
In 2022, Diwali will begin on Monday, October 24th.
