Photos: Diwali celebrations light up India and its global diaspora

Celebrations feature fireworks, prayers, reunions, rangoli designs, feasting, and the sharing of sweets and gifts.

• Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights.

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More than one billion people of different faiths take part in the celebrations in the world’s most populous nation, gathering for prayers, family reunions and the lighting of fireworks.

O nome Diwali vem de “Deepavali”, que significa “uma fila de luzes”, e muitas famílias colocam lampiões de barro fora de suas casas para simbolizar o triunfo da luz sobre a escuridão e do conhecimento sobre a ignorância.

The festival follows the Hindu lunar calendar and usually falls in late October or early November. This year, Diwali is marked on November 8.

While Diwali is rooted in Hindu tradition, it is also observed by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, with regional origin stories that share a common theme – the victory of good over evil.

Celebrations often include feasting, new clothes, rangoli floor designs, and the exchange of sweets and gifts with friends and neighbours.