Keep an eye out for houses decorated with candles and lights when the most popular Indian celebration, Diwali, the five-day festival of lights, brightens Canberra streets this coming week.

Traditionally the Diwali festival sees Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Newar Buddhists attending luminescent displays, prayers and events culminating in Diwali Day on Tuesday, October 21.

It has been described as being “like Christmas” in that it’s a family celebration with gifts and sweets exchanged.

For each religion, Diwali marks different historical events and stories, but all share a common theme of symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil.

It’s a time to celebrate not only with the Indian diaspora, but other cultures who also observe Diwali such as Nepalese, Singaporean and Malaysian.

Diwali has a lot of social and business aspects to it. During this time, people might decide to buy a new car, property or business. It’s also a time to reconnect with others, give employees bonuses and give gifts to clients.

Diwali – what it means

Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness, and is used during the celebration to illuminate temples, homes, shops and office buildings.

Primarily a Hindu festival, variations of Diwali are also celebrated by adherents of other faiths around the world.

The Jains observe their own Diwali which marks the final liberation of Mahavira.

The Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from a Mughal prison.

Newar Buddhists, unlike other Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi, while the Hindus of Eastern India and Bangladesh generally, celebrate Diwali by worshipping the goddess Kali.

During the festival, the celebrants illuminate their homes, temples and workspaces with diyas (oil lamps), candles and lanterns.

Hindus, in particular, have a ritual oil bath at dawn on each day of the festival.

Diwali is also marked with fireworks as well as the decoration of floors with rangoli designs and other parts of the house with jhalars.

Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai.

The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families, but also for communities and associations, particularly those in urban areas, who will organise activities, events, and gatherings. Many towns organise community parades and fairs with parades or music and dance performances in parks.

Some Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs will send Diwali greeting cards to family near and far during the festive season, occasionally with boxes of Indian confectionery. Another aspect of the festival is remembering the ancestors.

In India during the season of Diwali, many rural townships and villages host melas or fairs, where local producers and artisans trade produce and goods.

A variety of entertainments are usually available for inhabitants of the local community to enjoy. The women, in particular, adorn themselves in colourful attire and decorate their hands with henna.

Such events are also mentioned in Sikh historical records. In the modern day, Diwali mela are held at college, or university, campuses or as community events by members of the Indian diaspora. At such events a variety of music, dance and arts performances, food, crafts and cultural celebrations are featured.

Time for serious shopping…

Diwali marks a major shopping period in India and is comparable to the Christmas period in terms of consumer purchases and economic activity.

It is traditionally a time when households purchase new clothing, home refurbishments, gifts, gold, jewellery and other large purchases particularly as the festival is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and such purchases are considered auspicious.

Other goods that are bought in substantial quantities during Diwali include confectionery and fireworks.

ASSOCHAM, a trade organisation in India, forecasted that online shopping alone to be more than 300 billion rupees ($A5.5 billion) over the Diwali season.

About two-thirds of Indian households spend between 5000 rupees ($A91) and 10,000 rupees ($A185) to celebrate Diwali.

Diwali’s international appeal

Many governments encourage or sponsor Diwali-related festivities in their territories. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowments Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year.

National and civic leaders such as the former Prince Charles have attended Diwali celebrations at prominent Hindu temples in the UK, such as the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, using the occasion to highlight contributions of the Hindu community to British society.

Additionally, cities across the UK show support of the celebrations through Diwali lights, decorations, and cultural festivities such as dance performances, food stalls and workshops.

Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the London residence of the British prime minister.

Diwali was first celebrated in the White House by George W Bush in 2003, and its religious and historical significance was officially recognised by the US Congress in 2007.

This month, the state of California made Diwali an official state holiday.

Every year during Diwali, Indian forces approach their Pakistani counterparts at the border bearing gifts of traditional Indian confectionery, a gesture that is returned in kind by the Pakistani soldiers who give Pakistani sweets to the Indian soldiers.

In 2023, a Diwali celebration in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, broke the Guinness World Record for the largest display of oil lamps with 2,223,676 displayed on the eve of Diwali.

What’s on where for Diwali

Diwali Gala Dinner: Friday, October 17, 5.30pm-10.30pm, at The Abbey, Nicholls, hosted by the Canberra India Council, featuring a three-course meal, performances, and dancing. Tickets are available on TryBooking.

Diwali Mela Lantern Festival: Saturday, October 18, 5pm-8pm, at Queanbeyan Showground. A free community event with market stalls, food vans, live performance, children’s activities including lantern making and a spectacular finish with fireworks.

Diwali Mela at Albert Hall: Sunday, October 19, 11am-8pm, a celebration hosted by the Sri Vishnu Shiva Mandir. A community festival of “lights, fun, food and frolic”.

Diwali and Lakshmi Puja: Tuesday, October 21, is the official date for Diwali in 2025.