Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India, particularly for Hindus, and widely marked by prayers, family gatherings and the lighting of fireworks.

More than one billion people across faiths celebrate it in the world's most populous nation and its diaspora.

The name Diwali comes from "Deepavali," meaning "a row of lights." Celebrants place rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.