NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians celebrated diwali festival Lamps illuminated homes and streets across the country on Monday to mark the Hindu festival symbolizing the victory of light over darkness.
Diwali is derived from the word ‘Deepavali’ which means ‘row of lights’ and is usually celebrated with socializing and exchanging gifts. The dates of the festival are based on the Hindu lunar calendar and usually fall in late October or early November.
Shoppers flocked to the market to buy flowers, lanterns and candles.
Celebrations were most visible in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya city. Hindus believe that Lord Ram was born there and returned after 14 years of exile. People light earthen lamps to commemorate his return.
Sunday at dusk, Over 2.6 million lamps It was lit on the banks of river Saryu in Ayodhya and held the Guinness World Record set last year. At least 2,100 Hindu priests prayed in unison, their chants echoing across the shimmering riverside.
The Holy City was also decked out in fairy lights, and a laser and fireworks show illuminated the paths and riverbanks. Thousands of residents lit up their homes and temples.
Officials said more than 33,000 volunteers helped turn on the lights. About 40 families from nearby villages produced 1.6 million lamps. At least 73,000 liters of oil and 5.5 million cotton wicks were used to light the city.
“Lighting each diya (oil lamp) is a difficult task,” said Rashit Singh, a 19-year-old volunteer, his face glowing in the light of the bonfire. “But when you see the entire ghat (stairway to the river) lit up, it feels like all the effort is worth it.”
In recent years, Diwali celebrations in New Delhi have been clouded by concerns about air pollution, as smoky firecrackers create a toxic smog that takes days to clear.
Levels of the smallest particulates jumped to 347 on the air quality index in parts of the city on Monday, according to SAFAR, the federal government’s air quality monitoring agency. This is about 14 times the maximum daily exposure recommended by the World Health Organization.
India’s Supreme Court last week relaxed a total ban on firecrackers in New Delhi during Diwali, allowing limited use. “Green Firecracker” Less pollutant emissions. Developed by a federal research agency, the device is designed to reduce particulate and gas emissions by about 30 percent.
The court said it could be used during certain hours from Saturday to Tuesday.
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Associated Press writer Biswajeet Banerjee in Lucknow, India, contributed to this report.