Diwali

Also Di·va·li,

[dih-wah-lee, ‐-vah‐, duh‐]

noun

1. the Hindu festival of lights, celebrated as a religious holiday throughout India, falling between mid-October and mid-November.

Diwali

/ dɪˈwɑːlɪ /

noun

1. a major Hindu religious festival, honouring Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Held over the New Year according to the Vikrama calendar, it is marked by feasting, gifts, and the lighting of lamps

Example Sentences

California could become the latest U.S. state to designate Diwali as an official statewide holiday.

From Los Angeles Times

Last week the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 268, which would add Diwali, also known as Deepavali and the Hindu “Festival of Lights,” to the state’s official holiday list.

From Los Angeles Times

The Assembly bill would authorize community colleges and public schools to close on Diwali.

From Los Angeles Times

Diwali is celebrated over the course of five days and marks the beginning of the new year in the Hindu calendar, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art.

From Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania was the first U.S. state to designate Diwali as an official holiday in 2024; however, schools government offices and businesses aren’t required to close in observance, CBS News reported.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What is Diwali?

Diwali is a major Hindu festival popularly called the “festival of lights.” Generally, Diwali is often considered a celebration of the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.The festival commemorates different specific things in different places and among different communities. It is often associated with the goddess Lakshmi or with Rama (an avatar of the god Vishnu). For some Hindus, Diwali marks the start of the New Year.Diwali is also celebrated by some Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, though they may interpret and observe it differently.Diwali is a five-day festival, but its third day is typically observed as the main celebration.Diwali is pronounced dih-WAH-lee or dih-VAH-lee and can also be spelled Divali and Dewali. Other variants include Deepavali and Deepawali.