Diwali: What It Is, When It Is and How It's Celebrated

Diwali

Diwali - Deepavali - is the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists. It marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, and falls on the new moon of the Hindu month of Kartik, usually in October or November.

The stories behind it differ by tradition and region: the return of Rama to Ayodhya, the worship of Lakshmi, the release of Guru Hargobind Ji for Sikhs at Bandi Chhor Divas, and the liberation of Mahavira for Jains.

This guide covers the five days, the customs, the food, and what Diwali looks like in Leicester, Birmingham and London - written with respect rather than as a shopping list.

Cards to send at Diwali

We don't make a Diwali range - what we do make is blank-inside cards, printed in the UK, that you can write your own greeting in. There's wording help in our Diwali card messages guide.

Celebrate That SLAAAAAY! Well Done Card Celebrate That SLAAAAAY! Well Done Card £3.87 Guinness themed thank you card with a pint of stout illustration and the pun text Tanks A Million. Tanks A Million (Guinness Themed Thank You Card) £3.87 Thank you and well done greeting card featuring a star design and the wording "You're a Star". You're a Star (Thank You or Well Done Card) £3.87 Thank you card showing an illustrated pint of Guinness with a cheeky message about celebrating with a stout. Thank You! (This Calls For a Guinness Thank You Card) £3.87 Thank You Gold Foil Velvet Greeting Card (A6) Thank You Gold Foil Velvet Greeting Card (A6) £4.49 Landscape thank you greeting card featuring vibrant, colourful letters spelling out "Thank You" for a colleague or friend. Thank You Card With Colourful Letters (Landscape) £3.87

Shop greetings cards

What Diwali celebrates

  • The victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil.
  • For many Hindus, Rama's return to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, welcomed home by rows of lamps.
  • In western and southern India, Krishna's defeat of Narakasura, and the worship of Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity.
  • For Sikhs, Bandi Chhor Divas - Guru Hargobind Ji's release from imprisonment and the freeing of fifty-two princes with him.
  • For Jains, Mahavira attaining moksha.
  • Across all of them: light, renewal, family, and starting the year clean.

When is Diwali?

  • Diwali falls on the new moon of Kartik, so the Gregorian date changes each year - usually mid-October to mid-November.
  • The main day is the third of five, the darkest night of the lunar month.
  • Celebrations run for five days in most traditions.
  • It is a public holiday in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Fiji and Trinidad, among others, but not in the UK.

The five days

  • Dhanteras - cleaning the home and buying something metal, traditionally gold or kitchenware, for prosperity.
  • Naraka Chaturdashi, or Choti Diwali - early baths, rangoli, and the first lamps.
  • Diwali itself - Lakshmi Puja, the most lamps, new clothes, fireworks and the main family meal.
  • Govardhan Puja or Annakut - food offerings and, in some regions, the new business year.
  • Bhai Dooj - brothers and sisters, marked with a tilak, sweets and gifts.

Customs and decorations

  • Diyas - small clay oil lamps - lit in windows, doorways and along walls.
  • Rangoli patterns in coloured powder, rice or petals at the entrance, to welcome guests and Lakshmi.
  • A deep clean of the whole house before the festival.
  • New clothes for the main day.
  • Fairy lights and lanterns across the front of the house.
  • Fireworks and sparklers, with more people choosing quieter displays for pets and neighbours.
  • Puja at home or at the mandir or gurdwara.
  • Cards and gifts exchanged with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

Diwali food and sweets

  • Mithai boxes - barfi, ladoo, jalebi, kaju katli - shared with everyone who visits.
  • Savoury snacks: samosas, chevda, mathri, pakoras.
  • A vegetarian feast on the main night in most households.
  • Annakut - a mountain of food offered at the mandir on the fourth day.
  • Boxes of sweets given to neighbours, colleagues and anyone who calls in.

Diwali in the UK

  • Leicester's Belgrave Road hosts one of the largest Diwali celebrations outside India, with lights switched on weeks in advance.
  • Diwali on the Square in Trafalgar Square, London, with music, dance and food.
  • Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff all hold public celebrations.
  • Mandirs and gurdwaras hold open events - Neasden Temple in London draws very large crowds.
  • Many UK schools and workplaces mark it, and it's usual to send a card or wish colleagues Happy Diwali.
  • 'Happy Diwali' or 'Diwali Mubarak' are both widely used and welcome greetings.

Diwali etiquette if you're invited

  • Accept the food. Refusing hospitality is the only real misstep.
  • Take sweets, flowers or something for the home - avoid leather and alcohol.
  • Dress smartly and brightly; black is generally avoided.
  • Take your shoes off at the door.
  • Say Happy Diwali, or Shubh Deepavali.
  • Ask before photographing a puja.

Shop greetings cards

How to write it so it lands

  • Send the card before the main day rather than after - Diwali greetings are exchanged in the run-up.
  • If colleagues celebrate, ask which day their family marks; the five days differ by region.
  • Quiet fireworks and lanterns are increasingly popular for households with pets and young children.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What is Diwali?

Diwali, or Deepavali, is the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists, marking the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It's observed with lamps, rangoli, puja, new clothes, sweets and family gatherings.

When is Diwali?

Diwali falls on the new moon of the Hindu month of Kartik, so the date moves each year - normally between mid-October and mid-November. Celebrations run over five days, with the main day third.

How do you wish someone a happy Diwali?

'Happy Diwali', 'Shubh Deepavali' or 'Diwali Mubarak' are all commonly used and warmly received. For Sikh friends, 'Happy Bandi Chhor Divas' is thoughtful.

What do you give at Diwali?

Boxes of mithai (Indian sweets), dried fruit and nuts, candles and lamps, and small gifts for the home. Avoid leather and alcohol, and it's traditional to buy something metal on Dhanteras.

Do you sell Diwali cards?

We don't have a Diwali range. Our blank-inside cards and candles work well for the festival, and our Diwali card messages guide has wording you can use.

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