Every year, Diwali, the Festival of Lights, illuminates homes, streets, and hearts across the globe. While rooted in Indian culture and Hindu traditions, the celebration has crossed borders and taken on unique flavours wherever the diaspora has settled. From firework-lit cities to community feasts, here’s a look at some of the most vibrant and distinctive Diwali celebrations worldwide.
India: The Heart of Diwali
Naturally, India is where Diwali shines brightest. Each region has its own flavour:
- North India (Delhi, Varanasi, Jaipur): homes and streets glow with diyas and fairy lights, while families worship Goddess Lakshmi and enjoy elaborate feasts. Varanasi’s ghats come alive with floating lamps on the Ganges.
- South India: often called Deepavali, traditions lean more toward celebrating Krishna’s victory over Narakasura, with early morning oil baths, sweets, and bursting crackers.
- West India (Mumbai, Gujarat): large street parties, rangoli competitions, and community firework displays dominate.
Nepal: Tihar Festival
Diwali in Nepal, known as Tihar, is a five-day celebration honouring not only gods but also animals. Each day is dedicated to a different being crows, dogs, cows, and oxen, before culminating in Bhai Tika, a day honouring siblings. Dogs, in particular, are garlanded with flowers and treated as protectors.
Singapore: Little India Glows
Singapore transforms its Little India district into a dazzling wonderland of arches, light displays, and street bazaars. The Diwali buzz spills into temples, shops, and cultural shows, making it one of the most festive places outside India to experience the holiday.
Malaysia: Deepavali in a Melting Pot
In multicultural Malaysia, Deepavali is a public holiday, celebrated mainly by the Tamil community. Temples fill with devotees offering prayers, while open houses invite neighbours of all cultures to share sweets and meals together, a beautiful expression of Malaysia’s multicultural spirit.
Fiji: A Pacific Diwali
Thanks to its large Indo-Fijian community, Diwali in Fiji is celebrated with gusto. Families decorate homes, light diyas, and invite neighbours to share in traditional sweets like laddoos and barfi. It’s a public holiday, and both Hindu and non-Hindu communities join in, making it one of the Pacific’s most unique Diwali observances.
Trinidad & Tobago: Caribbean Light Festival
In the Caribbean, Diwali is celebrated with national recognition. Communities gather in temples, homes, and public parks to light diyas, while tassa drumming and cultural programs reflect the fusion of Indian and Caribbean traditions. The Caroni Savannah in Trinidad is especially famous for its breathtaking display of thousands of clay lamps.
United Kingdom: London’s Leicester & Wembley
The UK is home to one of the largest Indian diasporas in Europe, and Diwali is celebrated with grandeur. Leicester hosts one of the world’s biggest Diwali light switch-on events outside India, attracting tens of thousands of people. Wembley, Southall, and other London suburbs glow with street parades, markets, and temple festivities.
United States: Diwali on Main Street
Across the US, Diwali is gaining visibility.
- New York City lights up with cultural parades, fireworks, and even Empire State Building illuminations.
- California’s Bay Area hosts large festivals with Bollywood performances and food fairs.
- In 2023, the White House officially celebrated Diwali with a public ceremony, signalling its growing cultural significance.
South Africa: Durban’s Fireworks
Home to one of the largest Indian populations outside India, Durban celebrates Diwali with fireworks, street parties, and temple visits. Sweets like soji and jalebi are widely shared among families and neighbours, weaving Indian tradition into South African culture.
Mauritius: Island of Lights
Mauritius, with its deep Indian roots, declares Diwali a national holiday. Families decorate homes with oil lamps and coloured rice designs, while fireworks light up the tropical skies. The festival is seen as a symbol of good triumphing over evil, unity, and multicultural harmony.
Who Does It Uniquely?
- Nepal: honouring animals during Tihar.
- Trinidad & Tobago: massive public diya displays.
- Singapore: Little India’s streets transformed into glowing art installations.
- Fiji: Pacific hospitality blending with Indian tradition.
