Diwali 2024: 10 Countries Besides India Where The Festival Is Celebrated

NepalNepalis celebrate Tihar, a five-day spiritual and cultural festival that is marked by lighting diyas inside and outside the home. Unlike Diwali, Tihar involves the worship of the god of death, Yama.Sri LankaDiwali is celebrated most enthusiastically in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, a major centre for the Tamil community. The clebrations here tend to focus on family homes and kovils (Hindu temples).GuyanaAbout 31 per cent of Guyanese follow Hinduism, and Indians form the largest ethnic group in the country. The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha organises parades featuring motorcades and floats decked out with lights.Trinidad And TobagoThe nine-day Diwali celebrations are a significant cultural event in Trinidad and Tobago. The National Council for Indian Culture hosts the Diwali festivities at Divali Nagar, built across 27 acres in town of Chaguanas.United KingdomThe UK hosts some of the biggest Diwali festivals in Europe. Check out the festivities at Trafalgar Square in London, which typically includes workshops, music and dance performances.MalaysiaDiwali becomes Hari Diwali in Malaysia, and the festival is a holiday in most parts of the country. Little India in the Brickfields neighbourhood of Kuala Lumpur is the place to go to enjoy the festivities.SingaporeThe colourful suburb of Little India in Singapore gets a major makeover during Diwali. Visitors can immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of bazaars, street light-ups, cultural performances and henna tattoos.FijiDiwali is a national holiday in Fiji, and celebrations are not limited to the Indo-Fijian community. Islanders from all backgrounds light diyas and candles, accompanied by feasting and fireworks.IndonesiaDiwali is celebrated with much fanfare in Bali, which has a predominantly Hindu population. It is a public holiday there, which people mark by visiting temples and meeting family and friends.MauritiusSince Hindus make up nearly 50 per cent of Mauritius' population, Diwali is celebrated with much fervour and excitement. People place diyas in front of their houses, and the island turns into a fairyland during this time.Diwali 2024: Top 10 Gift Ideas For Travel EnthusiastsRead more