Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, begins tomorrow, and across Asia preparations are being made, showering the region in bright colours and gold. The five-day celebration symbolises the victory of good over evil, new beginnings and light from darkness - and commemorates Lord Ramis' return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing a 14-year exile. The word Diwali translates as 'row of lamps' and devotees illuminate and decorate their homes using lanterns, garlands, oil lamps, candles and colourful light bulbs. Many draw colourful rangoli – traditional decorative patterns made with rice flour – outside their homes. Indian sweetmeats known as mithai are eaten both with meals and between them throughout the five days and fireworks and crackers are in heavy demand across India as the Hindu Festival of Diwali approaches . Dhanteras, the first day of the five-day Diwali Festival, celebrated in parts of India, holds special significance for the business community due to the customary purchases of precious metals on this day. Meanwhile, Nepalese Hindus celebrate their own version of Diwali - known as Tihar festival, during which they worship cows, which are considered a maternal figure, and other animals. Outside India, the largest Diwali celebrations take place in Leicester, during which around 35,000 people commune along Belgrave Road for the switching-on of the lights. A dog is sprinkled with colored powder  at Nepal's Central Police Dog Training School as part of the Diwali festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal . Children dressed as Hindu deities pose with placards to raise awareness on the wasteful use of fireworks ahead of Diwali, in Amritsar . Widows hold earthen oil lamps as they offer prayers on the banks of the river Yamuna, in Vrindavan, in the state of Uttar Pradesh . A rainbow of colours: An Indian vendor arranges the lanterns on his market stall, ahead of the Diwali festival in Mumbai . Diwali, the festival of lights, commemorates Lord Ramís return to the kingdom of Ayodhya after completing his 14-year exile . An Indian child sits among statues of Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth, at a stall  in Hyderabad . A Hindu devotee participates in a Samuh Dhanteras Pujan religious ritual on Dhanteras in the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Western India . A Sadhu, or holy man, recites prayers during Diwali or Deepavali celebrations at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . Widows light sparklers as part of celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International in Vrindavan,  India . All that glitters: Statues of Lord Ganesha and the Goddess Laxmi  at a roadside stall in Amritsar, north-western India . A  dog licks its face after receiving food during the dog festival, as part of celebrations of Tihar at Nepal Police Academy, Kathmandu . A police dog is decorated with colourful powder, during the Tihar festival, the second major festival for Nepalese Hindus . Icons: A Hindu devotee walks past god statues  at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . A colourful spectacular: A woman carrying an infant looks at decorative items as she shops in Gauhati, India . Vivid: An artist gives the finishing touches to the idols of Goddess Kali at a local workshop in Mumbai . A Sadhu or a Hindu holy man  in Vrindavan, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . Hindu devotees offer prayers at Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . Glorious gold: A jewelery showroom in Mumbai during Dhanteras, a Hindu festival associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth . An Indian Hindu devotee participates in a Samuh Dhanteras Pujan religious ritual on Dhanteras in the outskirts of Ahmedabad . Laborers carry a huge idol of Hindu goddess Kali ahead of the Kali Puja festival in Kolkata, capital of the Indian state of West Bengal . An Indian man dressed as monkey god Hanuman blesses bystanders as he participates in a procession on the eve of Diwali in Allahabad .
The five-day long 'Festival of Lights' begins tomorrow and preparations are being made in India, Nepal and Malaysia .
The word Diwali translates literally as 'row of lamps' and is a Hindu, Jain and Sikh festival, celebrated across Asia .
Celebration symbolises commemorates Lord Ramis' return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing a 14-year exile .
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, begins tomorrow, and across Asia preparations are being made, showering the region in bright colours and gold. The five-day celebration symbolises the victory of good over evil, new beginnings and light from darkness - and commemorates Lord Ramis' return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing a 14-year exile. The word Diwali translates as 'row of lamps' and devotees illuminate and decorate their homes using lanterns, garlands, oil lamps, candles and colourful light bulbs. Many draw colourful rangoli – traditional decorative patterns made with rice flour – outside their homes. Indian sweetmeats known as mithai are eaten both with meals and between them throughout the five days and fireworks and crackers are in heavy demand across India as the Hindu Festival of Diwali approaches . Dhanteras, the first day of the five-day Diwali Festival, celebrated in parts of India, holds special significance for the business community due to the customary purchases of precious metals on this day. Meanwhile, Nepalese Hindus celebrate their own version of Diwali - known as Tihar festival, during which they worship cows, which are considered a maternal figure, and other animals. Outside India, the largest Diwali celebrations take place in Leicester, during which around 35,000 people commune along Belgrave Road for the switching-on of the lights. A dog is sprinkled with colored powder  at Nepal's Central Police Dog Training School as part of the Diwali festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal . Children dressed as Hindu deities pose with placards to raise awareness on the wasteful use of fireworks ahead of Diwali, in Amritsar . Widows hold earthen oil lamps as they offer prayers on the banks of the river Yamuna, in Vrindavan, in the state of Uttar Pradesh . A rainbow of colours: An Indian vendor arranges the lanterns on his market stall, ahead of the Diwali festival in Mumbai . Diwali, the festival of lights, commemorates Lord Ramís return to the kingdom of Ayodhya after completing his 14-year exile . An Indian child sits among statues of Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth, at a stall  in Hyderabad . A Hindu devotee participates in a Samuh Dhanteras Pujan religious ritual on Dhanteras in the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Western India . A Sadhu, or holy man, recites prayers during Diwali or Deepavali celebrations at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . Widows light sparklers as part of celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International in Vrindavan, India . All that glitters: Statues of Lord Ganesha and the Goddess Laxmi  at a roadside stall in Amritsar, north-western India . A  dog licks its face after receiving food during the dog festival, as part of celebrations of Tihar at Nepal Police Academy, Kathmandu . A police dog is decorated with colourful powder, during the Tihar festival, the second major festival for Nepalese Hindus . Icons: A Hindu devotee walks past god statues  at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . A colourful spectacular: A woman carrying an infant looks at decorative items as she shops in Gauhati, India . Vivid: An artist gives the finishing touches to the idols of Goddess Kali at a local workshop in Mumbai . A Sadhu or a Hindu holy man  in Vrindavan, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . Hindu devotees offer prayers at Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . Glorious gold: A jewelery showroom in Mumbai during Dhanteras, a Hindu festival associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth . An Indian Hindu devotee participates in a Samuh Dhanteras Pujan religious ritual on Dhanteras in the outskirts of Ahmedabad . Laborers carry a huge idol of Hindu goddess Kali ahead of the Kali Puja festival in Kolkata, capital of the Indian state of West Bengal . An Indian man dressed as monkey god Hanuman blesses bystanders as he participates in a procession on the eve of Diwali in Allahabad .
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, begins tomorrow, and across Asia preparations are being Ramis' return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing a 14-year exile. The word Diwali translates as 'row of lamps' and devotees across India as the Hindu Festival of Diwali five-day Diwali Festival, celebrated in parts of lights, commemorates Lord Ramís return to the