Hindus around the world are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Also known as Deepavali and Tihar, Diwali is one of Hinduism's most important festivals, marking the homecoming of the god Lord Ram after vanquishing the demon king Ravana. The festival symbolises taking people from darkness to light in the victory of good over evil.

Hindus believe that on this auspicious day, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, enters their homes and brings good luck and prosperity. Traditionally, lamps are lit in every nook and corner of the house. Devotees decorate their houses with flowers and decorative lights, and wear new clothes. Later in the evening, many cities are wreathed in smoke as millions of fireworks are lit. However, the sale of fireworks has been banned in New Delhi, in a move to curb air pollution.

IBTimes UK wishes its Hindu readers a happy Diwali and presents photos of colourful celebrations in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and the UK.

Diwali 2017
A woman decorates her house in Mumbai with a rangoli on the eve of the Hindu festival of Diwali Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
Diwali 2017
A man puts lights up in an alley to celebrate Diwali in a slum in Mumbai Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
Diwali 2017
Candles are lit to form symbols and messages at a stadium in Allahabad to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights Jitendra Prakash/Reuters
Diwali 2017
A vendor waits for customers at his lantern shop at a market in New Delhi Adnan Abidi/Reuters
Diwali 2017
People light lamps in the shape of a peace symbol on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Chandigarh Ajay Verma/Reuters
Diwali 2017
A devotee lights oil lamps during the Diwali or Deepavali festival at a Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
Diwali 2017
A man makes earthen lamps which are used to decorate temples and homes during the Hindu festival of Diwali, on a street in Ajmer Himanshu Sharma/Reuters
Diwali 2017
Widows light earthen lamps or 'diyas' during Diwali celebrations at Gopinath temple in Vrindavan Xavier Galiana/AFP
Diwali 2017
Vendors show lanterns to customers at a roadside market in Mumbai Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
Diwali 2017
Sri Lankan Hindu devotees offer prayers during Diwali at a temple in Colombo Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP
Diwali 2017
People release sky lanterns to celebrate Diwali in Siliguri Diptendu Dutta/AFP
Diwali 2017
A worker puts gunpowder inside a clay pot to make a firecracker for Diwali at a workshop in Champahati, south of Kolkata Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP
Diwali 2017
A woman picks marigold flowers used to make garlands and offer prayers, before selling them to the market in Kathmandu, for the Diwali festival, known in Nepal as Tihar Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
Diwali 2017
Vendors make garlands for Diwali at Ghazipur flower market on the outskirts of New Delhi Noemi Cassanelli/AFP
Diwali 2017
Dancers perform during Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square, London Tolga Akmen/Reuters
Diwali 2017
Children wear illuminated shoes as the Diwali lights are switched on in Leicester, England Darren Staples/Reuters
Diwali 2017
Classical Indian dancers perform on stage during a Diwali festival in Durban, South Africa Rajesh Jantilal/AFP
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